Strengthen Regulation of Fusion Devices, Empower the Development of New Technologies

Recently, the South China Regional Office of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (hereinafter referred to as the South China Regional Office) conducted a radiation safety supervision inspection of the J-TEXT tokamak fusion experimental device at Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

As the only medium-to-large tokamak experimental device at a university in China, J-TEXT bears the important mission of fusion talent cultivation and frontier physics experiments. The South China Regional Office focused on key aspects including equipment operation, radiation protection, and authorization management, meticulously investigated safety hazards, verified the implementation of safety management systems, and urged Huazhong University of Science and Technology to promptly plug safety loopholes and standardize device operation procedures, effectively building a strong defense line for the safe and stable operation of fusion experimental devices, providing solid support for the orderly conduct of scientific research experiments.

This supervision inspection adhered to the principle of conducting regulation and learning in parallel, taking on-site inspection as an opportunity to deepen research on new nuclear energy technologies. Supervisors, grounded in the frontiers of fusion technology, conducted in-depth study of the technical characteristics of tokamak devices and the technological development of fusion devices, and accurately grasped safety essentials such as radiation risks in fusion device operation. Through on-site study, on-site assessment, and technical exchange, they supplemented their regulatory knowledge reserves, effectively transformed frontline regulatory practice into a driver for enhancing professional capabilities, achieved a virtuous cycle of promoting work through learning and practicing learning through work, and refined their regulatory performance capabilities.

With the implementation of the Ecological Environment Code and the issuance of relevant nuclear safety regulations and technical documents, fusion device regulation has entered a new stage of rapid development characterized by rule of law and standardization. The South China Regional Office will continue to strengthen radiation safety supervision of tokamak and other fusion devices within its jurisdiction, improve regulatory mechanisms, and refine regulatory measures; strengthen the building of a learning-oriented organization, continuously refine regulatory professionalism, and safeguard the high-quality development of the fusion cause through high-level nuclear safety regulation.