China's BEST fusion reactor passes halfway mark in Hefei

October 3, 2026 at 06:16 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

China's BEST fusion reactor in Hefei, Anhui province, has passed the halfway point in construction. The project aims to demonstrate power generation around 2030, with overall construction expected to finish by end-2027. Engineers are now focused on the reactor core, the most complex stage.

Key Facts

The BEST fusion reactor in Hefei, Anhui province, has reached the halfway point in construction.
First power demonstrations are planned for around 2030, with overall construction expected to be completed by end-2027.
The facility uses massive superconducting magnets to suspend superheated plasma without touching reactor walls.
China's earlier EAST test reactor held plasma at 100 million degrees Celsius for 1,066 seconds, a world record.
Researchers in Hefei successfully tested the main electrical infrastructure of the BEST system last summer.

Construction Milestone

The BEST project in Hefei, Anhui province, has completed half of its construction. State broadcaster CCTV reported that first power demonstrations are planned for around 2030. Overall construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. Technicians are currently focused on the reactor core, described as the most difficult and complex stage.

Fusion Technology

Unlike fission used in current nuclear plants, fusion produces no long-lived hazardous nuclear waste and carries no catastrophic meltdown risk. The system replicates the physical processes that power the Sun, fusing light atomic nuclei under extreme temperature and pressure to release enormous energy. The Hefei facility uses massive superconducting magnets to hold the superheated plasma cloud in mid-air without touching the reactor walls. A special thermal shield prevents heat loss inside the powerful vacuum chamber, which experts call a giant 'furnace room' where the reaction occurs.

Experimental Heritage

China's earlier EAST test reactor set a world record by holding plasma at 100 million degrees Celsius for 1,066 seconds. Researchers in Hefei successfully tested the main electrical infrastructure of the BEST system last summer.