Nuclear fusion: Focus on Tokamak: U.S. engineers and physicists will team to attempt commercial demonstration by the year 2000

The general aspects of fusion power systems as well as some approaches to their development, are addressed from the viewpoints of engineering and technology. Focusing on a conceptual fusion power plant design, topics such as structure, materials and maintenance as well as environmental, safety, and economic factors are dealt with. Still in common with all such large-scale undertakings that try to project into the future, fusion power has built-in uncertainties. In this case, they are primarily in the area of plasma physics performance. Within the next five to six years, however, these uncertainties should be resolved and a national commitment could be made to a plan for demonstrating commercial feasibility in this century with a reasonable expenditure of money.