Design of Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating protection components for first plasma operations in ITER

•A set of components has been designed for the ITER first plasma operations with ECRH. These components direct the Electron Cyclotron beams coming from the Upper Launcher to the plasma resonance and protect the vacuum vessel, diagnostics and other in-vessel components.•Shaping and grating mirrors have been proposed and arranged in a configuration aiming at the fulfillment of physical and technical requirements. Optical elements have been designed to provide proper shaping and directions for the beams coming from the Upper Launcher towards EC resonance and a dump where exceeding EC radiation will be trapped.•The EC beams characteristics in terms of dimension and spatial distribution in proximity of the EC resonance crossing are reported.•The beam dump located in an Equatorial port designed to trap unabsorbed EC radiation potentially dangerous for vacuum vessel components and diagnostics is also conceptually described in the paper.