  The Double Chooz experiment is the first of the next wave of reactor
experiments searching for a non-vanishing value of the mixing angle theta_13.
The experimental concept and detector design are presented, and the most
pertinent backgrounds are discussed. Operation of the far detector is expected
to begin by the end of 2009. Installation of the near detector will occur in
2010. Double Chooz has the capacity to measure sin^2(2theta_13) to 3 sigma if
sin^2(2theta_13) >0.05 or exclude sin^2 (2theta_13) down to 0.03 at 90% for
Delta m_31^2 = 2.5 x 10^-3 eV^2 with three years of data with both near and far
detectors.
