The reactor — the first of its kind in the world — will be a precursor to a larger scale project to begin within a decade, China Daily reported. The secondary project — known as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, or ITER — will emulate the fusion power of the sun.

The reactors’ fusion is based on the concept that massive energy results from the forcing together of deuterium and tritium atoms at extreme temperatures. The proposed power of ITER would be equal to 500 megawatts, China Daily reported.

China negotiated with India, Japan, Russia, the European Union, South Korea and the United States, for the right to build ITER. Part of the agreement allows each government to add researchers to the project and share in all intellectual property rights gained.