The Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) has held a new session of its liaison committee with representatives of the IFMIF-DONES España Consortium, the scientific infrastructure currently under development in the municipality of Escúzar (Granada) for the research and validation of materials for future nuclear fusion reactors. This meeting is part of the regular monitoring process maintained by the regulatory body with the consortium. Its primary objective is to ensure, in a coordinated manner, compliance with the highest standards of safety and radiological protection throughout all phases of the facility’s development.

During the session, committee members reviewed the overall status of the project, including progress in the construction of the physical infrastructure and compliance with the established regulatory schedule. One of the key topics addressed was the update of the licensing roadmap, as well as the assessment of progress made by the technical working group. In this regard, advances were confirmed in the development of the evaluation guide and the definition of its core contents.

Participants also examined the evolution of industrial contracts directly linked to safety-related functions. These developments are essential at the current stage of the project, which is focused on preparing and optimizing the technical documentation required for the application for the necessary licenses.

This ongoing monitoring enables the CSN to maintain a comprehensive understanding of the scientific and technological challenges associated with the facility, facilitating informed regulatory decision-making and strengthening the robustness of the licensing process.

The technical session concluded with an institutional visit to the construction site in Escúzar, where both delegations were able to observe first-hand the current progress in the execution of the buildings and infrastructure that will house the accelerator and the project’s main systems.

Through this meeting, both institutions reaffirm the importance of maintaining fluid and transparent technical communication, consolidating progress on a strategic international project that positions Spain at the forefront of fusion energy research, ensuring safety for workers, the public, and the environment.

The meeting was chaired by CSN Board Member Francisco Castejón and attended by CSN Chairman Juan Carlos Lentijo, Board Members Javier Dies and Silvia Calzón. Representing the consortium were its Director, Moisés Weber; Head of Project Safety, Claudio Torregrosa; Head of Critical Technology Research, Francisco Martín-Fuertes; and the Director General of CIEMAT, Yolanda Benito.