Last Friday, the fourth Procurement Arrangement (PA) of the DONES Programme was signed, covering the buildings that will host the IFMIF-DONES facility. This agreement represents the largest contribution committed to the Programme to date and marks a major milestone in the development of the future research infrastructure.

The agreement was signed by Moisés Weber, Director of the IFMIF-DONES Spain Consortium, in the presence of Philippe Cara, DONES Programme Manager, formally launching this Spanish contribution. The signing also opens a new phase for the Programme, as the first civil works associated with the agreement are scheduled to begin before the end of the month.

The contribution includes the construction of the main buildings that will constitute the IFMIF-DONES facility, including the central building that will host the installation’s core scientific and technological systems. These infrastructures will provide the environment required for the integration and operation of the accelerator systems, the experimental area and the support services necessary for facility operations. The first civil works will focus on site preparation, earthworks and the basic infrastructure needed to enable the progressive development of the planned buildings.

This fourth Procurement Arrangement follows the three previous agreements already signed for the accelerator’s Medium Energy Beam Transport (MEBT) and High Energy Beam Transport (HEBT) systems, as well as for the Test Cell, further advancing the construction of the key technological systems of IFMIF-DONES.

The signature of this new agreement reflects Spain’s continued commitment to the DONES Programme and represents a decisive step in fulfilling its responsibilities as host country of the facility. It also reinforces progress towards the construction phase of the project’s main components and strengthens the international collaboration underpinning this strategic scientific initiative for Europe.

With this agreement, Spain takes another significant step in delivering its commitments as the main contributor to the DONES Programme, supporting the development of a unique research infrastructure that will play a crucial role in materials research for future fusion energy.