China Tests World's Largest Superconducting Fusion Magnet

• 29 Jul 2026

In July 2026, China announced the successful completion and testing of the world's largest superconducting fusion magnet, a key component for its artificial Sun programme aimed at developing commercial nuclear fusion energy.

Key Points

• About the Achievement: China completed and tested the world's largest toroidal field superconducting magnet, a critical component required for nuclear fusion reactors.
• Specifications: The D-shaped magnet measures 21 metres in length, 12 metres in width and weighs 582 tonnes.
• Purpose: The magnet generates an extremely powerful magnetic field to confine superheated plasma inside a fusion reactor, enabling controlled nuclear fusion.
• Performance: It is designed to operate for 60 years at temperatures close to –269°C while carrying electrical currents exceeding 100,000 amperes.
• China's Fusion Roadmap: China plans to complete the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak by 2027, begin fusion-based power generation around 2030, and eventually establish the China Fusion Engineering Demonstration Reactor (CFEDR).