History

In 1970 the Council of the European Community decided in favour of a robust fusion programme and provided the necessary legal framework for a European fusion device to be developed. Three years later, the design work began for the JET machine. In 1977 the construction work began and at the end of the same year a former Fleet Air Arm airfield at Culham in the UK was selected as the site for the JET project. In 1978 the "JET Joint Undertaking" was established as a legal entity. Only five years later the construction was completed on time and on budget. On 25th June 1983 the very first JET plasma was achieved and on 9th April 1984 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II officially opened this European fusion experiment.

In the history of fusion research the year 1991 is particularly significant: on the 9th November a Preliminary Tritium Experiment achieved the world's first controlled release of fusion power. Six years later, in 1997, another world record was achieved at JET: 16 mega watts of fusion power were produced from a total input power of 24 mega watts - a 65 % ratio. This is equivalent to a release of 22 mega joules of energy.

A "Remote Handling" system is, in general, an essential tool for any subsequent fusion power plant and especially for ITER. In 1998 JET's engineers developed a remote handling system with which, for the first time, it was possible to exchange certain components using artificial hands only.

In 1999 the European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA) was established with responsibility for the future collective use of JET. With the turn of the millennium the "Joint Undertaking" ended and the JET Facilities commenced operating under contract by UKAEA. From then, JET's scientific programme was determined by EFDA.