South China Regulatory Station Strengthens Fusion Device Regulation to Empower New Technology Development

Recently, the South China Nuclear and Radiation Safety Regulatory Station of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (hereinafter referred to as the South China Regulatory Station) conducted a radiation safety regulatory inspection of the J-TEXT tokamak fusion experimental device at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. As the only large and medium-sized tokamak experimental device among Chinese universities, J-TEXT bears the important mission of fusion talent cultivation and frontier physics experiments. The South China Regulatory Station 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 fortifying the defense line for the safe and stable operation of the fusion experimental device, thereby providing a solid safety guarantee for the orderly conduct of scientific research experiments.

This regulatory inspection adhered to the principle of conducting regulation and learning in parallel, using on-site inspection as an opportunity to deepen research on new nuclear energy technologies. Grounded in the frontiers of fusion technology, the inspectors 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 the radiation risks associated with fusion device operation. Through on-site research and learning, on-site assessment, and technical exchange, they supplemented their regulatory knowledge base and effectively transformed frontline regulatory practice into a lever for enhancing professional competence, achieving a virtuous cycle of promoting action through learning and practicing learning through action, and refining 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 Regulatory Station 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.