Some 700 people attended celebrations for the Joint European Torus (JET) in Oxfordshire which closed at the end of December 2023 after 40 years of operation. During the celebrations, the inventor of JET, Paul Henri-Rebut, received a standing ovation. The event, dedicated to the success of JET was attended by dignitaries, scientists, engineers, and other individuals who had worked at the facility through the ages.
The JET Celebration Day was seen as a befitting end to the scientific operations of the pioneering machine. “We celebrated the achievements, and even more importantly, celebrated the people,” said Professor Sir Ian Chapman, CEO of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. “Thank you to a lot of you to show what we can do with such a machine like JET,” said Henri-Rebut during his impromptu speech.
During the event speeches were also delivered by the UK’s Minister for Nuclear and Renewables, Andrew Bowie, and the European Commission’s Head of Unit, Euratom, Dr Elena Righi. Others who spoke included JET alumni – Barry Green, Michel Huguet, Fernanda Rimini, Damian King, Peter Lomas and Ian Chapman.
Until its closure, JET was the largest operational and only tokamak in the world to use deuterium and tritium fuel. The achievements at JET, from the major scientific milestones to the setting of energy records, represents an enduring legacy in the evolution of fusion technology.
Image: Paul Henri-Rebut, the inventor of JET
