Nuclear Fusion Comes To Granada

A historic day unfolded in Granada on 19 May 2025, as the first stone was laid for the IFMIF-DONES facility, marking the beginning of construction on what will become the largest scientific installation ever built in Spain and one of the most significant in Europe. Located in the small town of Escúzar, just outside Granada, this project is linked to one of science’s most ambitious challenges: the quest to harness fusion energy. Dignitaries, including senior national and regional officials, attended the ground-breaking ceremony, underscoring the significance of this initiative.

As part of the day’s events, Spain and Japan signed a formal agreement, cementing Japan’s role in the project. This international collaboration is a major step forward, giving a substantial boost to the research planned in Granada. With partners from 17 countries involved in IFMIF-DONES’s steering committee, this wide cooperation underscores the facility’s global significance in the quest for fusion energy.

Fusion – the process that powers the sun – promises virtually limitless clean energy if it can be replicated on Earth, but achieving this is enormously complex. A global scientific effort is underway to overcome these challenges. In France, the ITER project – a large international fusion experiment – is being built to prove fusion’s viability. The next planned step is a demonstration power plant called DEMO, which aims to generate continuous electricity from fusion.

IFMIF-DONES in Granada will bridge the crucial gap between ITER and DEMO. It is designed to test and develop the advanced materials needed for future fusion reactors by exposing them to intense neutron radiation that simulates conditions inside a working fusion reactor. In doing so, IFMIF-DONES will ensure that when reactors like DEMO are ready, they can be constructed with materials capable of withstanding such extreme conditions.

The journey to bring IFMIF-DONES to Spain has been a long one. Over the past decade, scientists and officials worked to secure political and scientific support at home and in Europe, ultimately convincing international partners to choose Granada as the site. As a result, a consortium was established in 2021 by the Spanish government and Andalusia’s regional government to organise the project. Now, in 2025, construction of the testing facility has finally begun, turning a once distant dream into reality. Construction of the extensive administrative facilities necessary to support the project are already complete.

The project entails a considerable financial commitment: roughly €700 million for construction and another €50 million to launch the facility. Operating costs are estimated at about €50 million per year over its lifespan. Spain will finance around half of the construction and about ten percent of the annual operation – a significant commitment that reflects the project’s importance to the country. The remaining funding comes from international partners, highlighting the shared global stake in fusion energy’s future.

The project brings hope and opportunity by attracting workers, companies and investment to the area. Beyond these local benefits, the broader scientific and industrial impact is expected to be profound. Advances from IFMIF-DONES in materials science and fusion technology will not only propel progress towards cleaner energy but also find applications in fields such as medicine, engineering and physics. Hosting this facility places Spain, and Granada in particular, at the forefront of cutting-edge research. It is an inspiring example of how nations coming together in pursuit of science can push boundaries and deliver long-term benefits, offering an optimistic outlook for the future of energy and innovation.