FPN06-32

Aymar, Velikhov, Yoshikawa Receive Energy Prize

April 24, 2006

Robert Aymar, Evgenii Velikhov and Masaji Yoshikawa are the recipients of the 2006 Global Energy International Prize. The Prize is "a unique award intended to assist international cooperation in solving the most important current problems in the field of power generation." The three are honored "for the development of scientific and engineering foundation for building the International Thermonuclear Reactor (ITER) project" and will share the $1 million prize stipend.

At a news conference after receiving the prize, Velikhov, who is director of the Kurchatov Nuclear Research Cener in Moscow, said that the world's first thermonuclear power plant could be built by 2030, Velikhov told the press conference that the experience of building an international thermonuclear reactor in France would be used to design a thermonuclear power plant.

Further information is available at:

http://en.rian.ru/science/20060419/46619996.html

http://www.ge-prize.ru/en/

All three have received Fusion Power Associates Leadership or Distinguished Career Awards: Velikhov in 1985, Yoshikawa in 1999 and Aymar in 2000. Aymar also previously served on Fusion Power Associates Board of Directors.