Magnetic confinement fusion is an approach to generating fusion power that uses magnetic fields (which is a magnetic influence of electric currents and magnetic materials) to confine the hot fusion fuel in the form of a plasma. Magnetic confinement is one of two major branches of fusion energy research, the other being inertial confinement fusion. The magnetic approach is more highly developed and is usually considered more promising for energy production. Construction of a 500-MW heat generating fusion plant using tokamak magnetic confinement geometry, the ITER, began in France in 2007.