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A potentially attractive next-step towards fusion commercialization is a pilot plant, i.e., a device ultimately capable of small net electricity production in as compact a facility as possible and in a configuration scalable to a full-size power plant. A key capability for a pilot plant program is the production of high neutron fluence enabling fusion nuclear science and technology (FNST) research. It is found that for physics and technology assumptions between those assumed for ITER and nth-of-a-kind fusion power plant, it is possible to provide FNSTrelevant neutron wall loading in pilot devices. Thus, it may be possible to utilize a single facility to perform FNST research utilizing reactor-relevant plasma, blanket, coil, and auxiliary systems and maintenance schemes while also targeting net electricity production. In this paper three configurations for a pilot plant are considered: the advanced tokamak (AT), spherical tokamak (ST), and compact stellarator (CS). A range of configuration issues are considered including: radial build and blanket design, magnet systems, maintenance schemes, tritium consumption and self-sufficiency, physics scenarios, and a brief assessment of research needs for the configurations.

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Experimental results from a large number of tokamaks have been collected. It is shown that the measured energy confinement times are consistent in the sense that they may be represented (accurately) by simple empirical formulas. These formulas are used in predicting the Ohmically heated temperatures in future tokamaks. The predicted temperatures are similar to but slightly lower than those in present machines. Te0 is about 0.5 to 1 keV. This result emphasizes the point that substantial additional heating will be required for the attainment of ignition temperature.

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The Twelfth IAEA Conference on Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research featured some seventy tokamak experimental papers, pertaining to every issue of tokamak physics. While previous conferences have sometimes been dominated by a single result, for example achievement of high nτ or T-values, such was not the case of the Nice meeting. Rather, this conference was characterized by a multitude of excellent scientific results on virtually all aspects of tokamak behaviour: confinement, operational limits such as density and beta MHD stability, heating, current drive and, to a lesser extent, impurity control. Taken together, these results lay a solid foundation for continued progress and future steps.

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