At the end of 2022 the last creep test of the originally agreed test matrix reached its rupture. With the conclusion of such test, the task is concluded. The test data have been communicated to the relevant groups. Tests on interaction between fatigue and creep have been performed.

In 2021 three creep tests on EUROFER 97/2 were run, according to the details given in the text and in task MAT-T.01.01-T008-D001. The present situation of the test campaign is described.

The tokamak a configuration variable (TCV) continues to leverage its unique shaping capabilities, flexible heating systems and modern control system to address critical issues in preparation for ITER and a fusion power plant. For the 2019-20 campaign its configurational flexibility has been enhanced with the installation of removable divertor gas baffles, its diagnostic capabilities with an extensive set of upgrades and its heating systems with new dual frequency gyrotrons. The gas baffles reduce coupling between the divertor and the main chamber and allow for detailed investigations on the role of fuelling in general and, together with upgraded boundary diagnostics, test divertor and edge models in particular. The increased heating capabilities broaden the operational regime to include T (e)/T (i) similar to 1 and have stimulated refocussing studies from L-mode to H-mode across a range of research topics. ITER baseline parameters were reached in type-I ELMy H-modes and alternative regimes with 'small' (or no) ELMs explored. Most prominently, negative triangularity was investigated in detail and confirmed as an attractive scenario with H-mode level core confinement but an L-mode edge. Emphasis was also placed on control, where an increased number of observers, actuators and control solutions became available and are now integrated into a generic control framework as will be needed in future devices. The quantity and quality of results of the 2019-20 TCV campaign are a testament to its successful integration within the European research effort alongside a vibrant domestic programme and international collaborations.

This paper is a written summary of an overview oral presentation given at the 1st Spanish Fusion High Performance Computer (HPC) Workshop that took place on the 27 November 2020 as an online event. Given that over the next few years ITER24 ITER ('The Way' in Latin) is the world's largest tokamak under construction in the south of France: a magnetic fusion device that has been designed to prove the feasibility of fusion as a large-scale and carbon-free source of energy (https://www.iter.org/). will move to its operation phase and the European-DEMO design will be significantly advanced, the EUROfusion consortium has initiated a coordination effort in theory and advanced simulation to address some of the challenges of the fusion research in Horizon EUROPE (2021-2027), i.e. the next EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. This initiative has been called E-TASC, which stands for EUROfusion-Theory and Advanced Simulation Coordination. The general and guiding principles of E-TASC are summarized in this paper. In addition, an overview of the scientific results obtained in the pilot phase (2019-2020) of E-TASC are provided while highlighting the importance of the required progress in computational methods and HPC techniques. In the initial phase, five pilot theory and simulation tasks were initiated: towards a validated predictive capability of the low to high transition and pedestal physics; runaway electrons in tokamak disruptions in the presence of massive material injection; fast code for the calculation of neoclassical toroidal viscosity in stellarators and tokamaks; development of a neutral gas kinetics modular code; European edge and boundary code for reactor-relevant devices. In this paper, we report on recent progress made by each of these projects.

The 2020 activities focused on the dissemination of the SES research studies to provide, both internally the fusion community and the large public, extensive and proper information on SES relevant outcomes. The activity developed by implementing the SES scientific information available on the EUROfusion web site and through articles and publications in scientific magazines.

The 2018 activities aim at keeping the SES webpage updated and disseminate the contents and the relevant outcomes of the SES research through articles in scientific magazines. The outreach task in 2018 included all the activities that aim at improving the communication of the SES results or of fusion itself. It comprised work on shaping the results of the Socio Economic Studies and making them available for the larger public, though the website, conference presentations and academic publications.

The EDDI testing program at ENEA RU has been delayed during 2019 by a series of problems. However, it has been resumed now and it will continue with the programmed tests in 2020. Tests already agreed are concerning creep tests in negligible creep domain of EUROFER97/2 alloy. The testing plan for 2020 has been updated with the latest indications.

The research program of the TCV tokamak ranges from conventional to advanced-tokamak scenarios and alternative divertor configurations, to exploratory plasmas driven by theoretical insight, exploiting the device's unique shaping capabilities. Disruption avoidance by real-time locked mode prevention or unlocking with electron-cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) was thoroughly documented, using magnetic and radiation triggers. Runaway generation with high-Z noble-gas injection and runaway dissipation by subsequent Ne or Ar injection were studied for model validation. The new 1 MW neutral beam injector has expanded the parameter range, now encompassing ELMy H-modes in an ITER-like shape and nearly noninductive II-mode discharges sustained by electron cyclotron and neutral beam current drive. In the H-mode, the pedestal pressure increases modestly with nitrogen seeding while fueling moves the density pedestal outwards, but the plasma stored energy is largely uncorrelated to either seeding or fueling. High fueling at high triangularity is key to accessing the attractive small edge-localized mode (type-II) regime. Turbulence is reduced in the core at negative triangularity, consistent with increased confinement and in accord with global gyrokinetic simulations. The geodesic acoustic mode, possibly coupled with avalanche events, has been linked with particle flow to the wall in diverted plasmas. Detachment, scrape-off layer transport, and turbulence were studied in L- and H-modes in both standard and alternative configurations (snowflake, super-X, and beyond). The detachment process is caused by power `starvation' reducing the ionization source, with volume recombination playing only a minor role. Partial detachment in the H-mode is obtained with impurity seeding and has shown little dependence on flux expansion in standard single-null geometry. In the attached 1,-mode phase, increasing the outer connection length reduces the in-out heat-flow asymmetry. A doublet plasma, featuring an internal X-point, was achieved successfully, and a transport barrier was observed in the mantle just outside the internal separatrix. In the near future variableconfiguration baffles and possibly divertor ptunping will be introduced to investigate the effect of divertor closure on exhaust and performance, and 3.5 MW ECR and 1 MW neutral beam injection heating will be added.

During the ongoing pre-concept phase (2014 - 2020) for a possible future European DEMOnstration Fusion Power Plant (DEMO) the activities within EUROfusion WP HCD EC Gyrotron R&D and Advanced Developments are focusing on options for near-term solutions, and, at the same time, on long-term even more advanced options. The near-term target for DEMO is to realize pulsed operation. According to the current baseline it will probably use an EC system operating at 170 GHz and 204 GHz is being assessed, whereas the long-term target aims for steady-state operation and frequencies for current drive up to 240 GHz. Common targets for both are an RF output power per unit of significantly above 1 MW (target: 2 MW) and a total gyrotron efficiency of significantly higher than 60 %. Frequency step-tunability and multi-purpose/multi-frequency operation have to be considered. Those targets shall be achieved by considering the coaxial-cavity gyrotron technology and advanced technologies for key components (e.g. CVD diamond-disk Brewster angle window). Advanced simulation and test tools are complementing the research and developments. Gyrotron development is additionally supported by a significant investment into a new multi-megawatt long-pulse gyrotron test stand which is under final installation at KIT currently.

The activities carried out in 2017 aimed at improving the dissemination of the SES results, including updating the webpage and collaboration with FuseCOM. It comprised work on shaping the results of the Socio Economic Studies and make them available for the larger public. The outreach task in 2017 included all the activities that aim at improving the communication of the SES results (website included) or of fusion itself. It comprised work on shaping the results of the Socio Economic Studies and making them available for the larger public, as well as the collaboration with the FuseCOM network. This task included also a reflection on the methodology to be adopted in elaborating the SES outreach plan. During the last SES meetings, the need of a more effective dissemination of the goals and results of the research on Social and Economic Studies of fusion started to become evident and discussions brought to the intention to adopt a professional approach in order to assure a proper circulation of SES content on the one side and assure that the most appropriate and effective formats of outreach are put in actions. The presence of an expert in communication in the SES group has been positively seen by the group; the participation to meetings and discussions has allowed to the expert to become familiar to the different topics and the nuances of the arguments, which gets great importance especially when speaking to society of energy choices.