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China has announced the construction of a new nuclear fusion reactor, BEST (High Confinement Experimental Tokamak Reactor), in the city of Hefei, Anhui Province. The reactor is designed to produce unlimited clean energy and is scheduled to launch in 2027.

The reactor, dubbed the “Artificial Sun,” operates on the principle of nuclear fusion, similar to the process that powers the Sun. During fusion, hydrogen nuclei combine to form helium, releasing energy without producing long-lived radioactive waste.

The fusion process takes place in Tokamak-type facilities, where plasma is heated to temperatures exceeding 150 million degrees Celsius—hotter than the Sun’s core. The goal is to create conditions that force atomic nuclei to merge and generate electricity.

BEST continues China’s research in fusion energy. In 2021, the experimental EAST reactor managed to maintain plasma at 120 million degrees Celsius for 101 seconds, setting a world record.

The new project is intended to produce actual electricity rather than serve only for experimental research. According to plans, it will make China the first country to create a working “Artificial Sun,” opening the way toward sustainable energy.

Photo: Phys.org