Petition to extend JET beyond 2023

EPS poster prize, paper to come, next moves

Dear JET petitioners,                                                                                                                                                                         

Thanks to the help of many of you (you know who you are) we presented at poster at the EPS Conference on Plasma Physics in Salamanca, 8-12 of July 2024. Conference participants culd rate the posters and our poster “A potential research programme for JET with a W wall and ECRH” was voted best poster of the conference. We like to think this means there is support for our proposal, at least amongst the researchers.

A journal has invited us to produce a proper refereed paper, we will be working on this through the summer. If you would like to contribute please get in touch. As usual, it’s up to you to become a named author or an acknowledged contributor or to remain anonymous.

On the petitioning side: we are now hoping UK colleagues will petition their brand new government to encourage UKAEA to issue an invitation for a renewed international JET programme. In the EU side we are waiting for new Commissioners to be named before we try again.

The JET petition team

JET petition in Salamanca EPS

Hello! If you are interested, we are presenting a poster at the EPS Plasma Physics Meeting in Salamanca tomorrow Monday from 14:30 to 16:15, titled "Potential research programme for JET with W wall and ECRH", with Emilia Solano as 1st author. If you are at EPS please drop by, we'll give away stickers with our logo to supporters. Also you can vote for us in the poster competition, it would increase our visibility.

You can see the poster here https://t.ly/aGqVU and the associated 4-page paper here https://t.ly/NnLMu 

Our heartfelk thanks to all that helped put this together, most of whom stay anonymous in these uncertain times.

The JET Petition Team

JET Petition at EPS, Salamanca, 8 July 2023

Dear supporters

We will be presenting a poster at the EPS Plasma Physics conference on Monday afternoon, P1.048, please have a look at it  here https://t.ly/aGqVU

It describes a possible research programme for JET, if extension and upgrades can happen. 

If you are at the conference please drop by, we have some stickers for you.

A clarification, since we keep being asked this: JET remains largely intact, at least until September. That's why we keep trying.

The JET Petition Team

Latest reply from EU: Ms. van der Vlies

Dear all

As said in the previous announcement, we wrote to Ms. van der Vlies, DG of Research and Innovation. We received a very short response from her, https://t.ly/yad4Z. In summary, she says "at this moment in time, the European Commission cannot financially support the extension of the operation of JET."

With UK elections upcoming, and likely changes in the European Commission, we will wait for new developments before trying again in the EU front. If any of you would like information to solicit funding elsewhere, don't hesitate to get in touch. 

The JET Petition Team

May 2024 reply to EU Fusion funding authorities

Dear JET extension petitioners

We continue our correspondence with the EU fusion funding authorities, this time discussing the true fundamental objection to JET continuation: money.

We again remind them of the value to the EU of the JET facilities, and propose they invest €100M in 2024-2026, as a first step towards an international collaboration with multiple partners and funding sources.

You can find a copy of the letter we sent on May 30th 2024 here https://t.ly/Iz3xx

Previous correspondence can be found in earlier Announcements.

The JET petition Team

Update on JET petition: EU response

Dear JET petition supporters,                  

     We haven't been in touch for quite a while, but we haven't been idle. On April 18, 2024, we sent letters to the European Commissioners that we thought would have an interest in changing the decision to close down JET.

     Letters were sent to (follow links to be redirected to each letter):

• Mr. M. Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight https://t.ly/8HR1V
• Monsieur Th. Breton, Commissaire Européen en charge du marché intérieur, de l'industrie, de l'entrepreneuriat et des PME  https://t.ly/zwex9
• Ms. K. Simson, European Commissioner for Energy  https://t.ly/31QeX
• Ms. I. Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth  https://t.ly/OaaDI  

    A reply came from Ms. Rosalinde van der Vlies, Clean Planet Director in the European Commission, RTD C  https://t.ly/VBVhu  

    Basically, we are being told again and again that the decision was already made, and JET now belongs to the UK. The new ingredient is that now we are informed that “the Commission is already implementing an ambitious fusion energy roadmap, to which its entire fusion budget is allocated. This includes contributions to ITER, the Broader Approach activities with Japan (and specifically the exploitation of JT60-SA) and the construction of IFMIF/DONES in Spain, and support to the EUROfusion co-funded partnership through the Euratom Research and Training Programme. In this context, therefore, the Commission cannot continue to support JET exploitation.”

    They confuse “cannot” with “will not”. Our message on the contrary is very clear: JET is presently the best tool for fusion expertise development, while its termination is a threat to the whole international fusion programme. The UKAEA would be willing to consider continuing operation with external funding. We are dismayed that they bluntly ignore those important messages in our carefully written letters. 

     We replied on May 30th 2024, this time discussing the true fundamental objection to JET continuation: money. We again remind them of the value to the EU of the JET facilities, and propose they invest €100M in 2024-2026, as a first step towards an international collaboration with multiple partners and funding sources. You can find a copy of the letter we sent on May 30th 2024 here https://t.ly/Iz3xx 

     Additionally we are working on the EPS poster proposing a future JET research programme. If you want to contribute to that please let us know what content you can provide (text, figures, references). The abstract can be found here https://t.ly/plpYW   

The JET Petition Team

JET4Fusion

Urgent: help with signatures for letter to EU Commissioners

Dear JET extension petition supporters,

Sorry for the long silence. We have been drafting a letter to be sent to EU Commissioners, above the level of those who have replied to us so far (DG). We think the letter would be better received if it had some notable signatures.

In the letter we describe the value of JET to the EU fusion programme and ask that the decision to terminate its operation be reviewed. We note that JET can still be saved (confirmed this Monday), but only with full funding from outside the UK.

We would like to have a number of signatures from EU fusion experts at the bottom of the letter. We know that some EU labs have explicitly told people not to sign such a letter. We are aware of a level of pessimism in the community but we think it is important we at least try to do the right thing.

If you want to help, please get in touch with us and we'll send you the draft. Send an email to 

                    jet.petition.2023 at gmail.com 

as soon as possible. We must send the letter this week, ahead of some important meetings of the EU.

The JET petition team, JETforFusion

An update on JET: EPS abstract

Dear supporters of the petition to extend JET operation,

As you may have seen in earlier announcements, we still have a way to go to achieve our goal. 

We have decided to submit an abstract to the 50th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics, describing a potential JET research programme. You can find the text below.

If you would like to contribute to develop the poster please get in touch.

Potential research programme for JET

E.R. Solano1, J.Ongena2, JET petition supporters*

1Laboratorio Nacional de Fusion, CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain; 2Laboratory for Plasma Physics, LPP-ERM/KMS, Brussels, Belgium;*Petition to extend JET beyond 2023

We present a potential staged research programme for the JET facilities, focusing on JET’s unique capabilities, with a 10 year horizon. Stages A, B, C consist of short experimental campaigns, to enable maintenance of the facilities in between campaigns (sorely needed), to maintain and develop team know-how and to prepare the significant upgrades for Stage D. Select experiments from early stages can be developed in later stages.

Stage A, using the existing JET configuration in Deuterium plasmas as is. Obvious candidates are experiments not executed or finished in earlier campaigns due to tight deadlines. Just to mention a few: develop Ne and Ar Baseline seeded plasmas; test ITER-relevant plasma and tokamak control tools; investigate operation without cryopump to mimic ITER’s particle balance; test/validation of EFCC models for ELM control; continue Negative Triangularity work; develop QH-mode plasmas; investigate pellet fuelling in hot pedestal with pacing pellets; optimize the Hybrid scenario (raise δ), investigate L-H transition, etc…

Stage B would include minor upgrades, diagnostic recovery and enhancements: new pressure gauges, develop α-particle diagnostics for ITER (with B + 4He γ-ray reactions).

Stage C (optional), T and/or DT short campaigns: specifically, test T RF heating schemes for ITER; explore 3He minority ICRH in D plasmas and 2nd harmonic T heating in DT and T plasmas (as in ITER). Selected experiments from earlier stages may continue here.

Stage D, with a W wall, Boronization, 10 MW of ECRH: 170GHz gyrotrons, as in STEP and ITER. Development and validation of scenarios in the new ITER-relevant domain; tests of ELM control/mitigation/suppression; investigation of EC, IC, NBI, a-heating synergies towards higher performance scenarios with Te=Ti (optionally with controlled seeding); investigate Ti clamping as function of ratio of e and ion heating. Aim for steady Q = 1 with D-NBI injection into a T plasma, combined with ICRH and ECRH. Mitigating operational risks for ITER necessitates both targeted experiments and the training of the next generation of scientists, technicians, and engineers in a large fusion facility. An extended operation of the Joint European Torus (JET) is the ideal vehicle for such studies.

The JET Petition Team

Response from the European Union

On 30/11/2023 we received the following response from the EU, signed by Marc Lemaître, Director-General for Research & Innovation and  Ditte Juul-Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy.

We are grateful that our petition has merited their attention. Unfortunately the petition organisers were quite busy with the last few experiments at JET and only now did we find the time to post this announcement. We hope to reply to all authorities during the next few weeks.

Dear petitioners,

We would like to thank you for your petition to extend the Joint European Torus (JET)
facilities beyond 2023.

The history of JET is a continuous series of success stories. It is a testimony to the vision and competence of the European fusion community that proposed, designed, and financed the facility back in the 1970’s, and operated it for the last 40 years, despite many technical, administrative and political difficulties.

Following the decision to install an ‘ITER-like wall’ 14 years ago financed by Europe, JET has been devoted 100% to support ITER. The ITER design is evolving, and the world fusion community must continue to support design changes. Extending the operation of JET to validate the latest ITER design evolution, in particular a full tungsten wall and a dominant electron cyclotron heating, would require about ten years and about €1 billion, as explained by Prof. I. Chapman in his answer to you. Moreover, as recalled by Prof. A. Fasoli and T. Donné in their answer, EUROfusion proposed in 2016 an internationalisation of JET that would have secured its future. This proposal did not garner the international community's support, and Europe alone cannot continue to provide the required support.

Euratom has a significant program for fusion R&D beyond JET. The knowledge acquired during the last 40 years, the availability of more recent machines, and the appearance of new stakeholders in the fusion landscape, among others, have led Euratom and its many
international partners to plan future activities without JET. Indeed, given the present situation, the resources required for another major upgrade of JET and its exploitation can be invested in other relevant scientific programs. For the EU, these are all specified in the Euratom work
programmes. Beyond ITER, which requires significant resources, Euratom programs foresee the support for the construction of new facilities in Europe, namely DONES and DTT, the scientific exploitation of existing and newly commissioned fusion devices, in particular JT60-
SA, developed in collaboration with Japan, the official inauguration of which is scheduled on 1 December later this year, and the setting up of a public-private partnership to join forces with the private sector.

Lastly, we would like to recall that the United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union and Euratom in 2020 and has recently decided not to join forces Europe’s efforts to develop fusion, particularly in support of ITER.

Reply of Tony Donné and Ambrogio Fasoli, EUROfusion, to letter from petition representatives. Received 03/11/2023.

Dear Dr. Hotchin, Dr. Solano, Dr. Sharapov, Dr. Lennholm, and Dr. Ongena,

Thank you for your email dated November 2, 2023, and for sharing the petition regarding the Joint European Torus (JET) facilities. We have carefully reviewed your letter and the voices of the 800+ fusion professionals advocating for the extension and upgrading of JET.

At EUROfusion, we deeply respect the passion and dedication to fusion research that these appeals represent. The Joint European Torus has indeed been instrumental in advancing our collective understanding and bringing us closer to the realization of sustainable fusion energy.

Given the current discourse on the future of JET, we believe it is important to share EUROfusion's positioning statement. This encapsulates our perspective, informed by extensive deliberations and assessments of the broader context of fusion research and the evolving needs of our scientific community. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EUROfusion's Positioning Statement on the Future of the Joint European Torus (JET)

In the dynamic and evolving landscape of fusion research, EUROfusion has consistently championed the pursuit of scientific advancement and international collaboration. The Joint European Torus (JET) has been a cornerstone of European fusion research, contributing invaluable insights and propelling the global community closer to the realization of sustainable fusion energy.

In 2016, recognizing the potential benefits of extending JET’s operational life in support of ITER, EUROfusion proposed an internationalization that would have secured its future. Regrettably, this proposal did not garner the necessary support of the international community at the time. Now, as we stand at a crossroads, we acknowledge the voices calling for JET's continued operation and deeply respect the passion and dedication to fusion research that these appeals represent.

However, we must also confront the present realities. Not only has the landscape of fusion research shifted significantly, but JET itself would require substantial investment for upgrades to continue operations—a process that would take years to complete. During this time, the facility would remain non-operational, delaying further research and advancements. Furthermore, the UKAEA has already initiated the decommissioning process of JET and reassigned its many researchers, technicians, and staff.

Given these factors, and our budgetary constraints, we must consider the broader portfolio of research facilities that also warrant support. With a future-oriented mindset, we need to look towards the future, not back to the past. This perspective is not a dismissal of JET's monumental contributions but an acknowledgment that the path to fusion energy requires us to adapt, innovate, and sometimes make difficult decisions.

Our focus now turns to ensuring that the legacy of JET is preserved. We are committed to safeguarding the wealth of knowledge and data accumulated, facilitating a seamless transition for the talented JET team, and continuing to drive fusion research forward through our existing and future initiatives.

EUROfusion remains steadfast in its mission to realise sustainable fusion energy. We are dedicated to fostering collaboration, supporting cutting-edge research, and advocating for policies that advance the fusion field. Together with our partners, we look to a future illuminated by the promise of fusion energy. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We understand that our perspective may not align with the desires expressed in the petition. However, please rest assured that our commitment to advancing fusion energy research and fostering international collaboration remains unwavering. We are dedicated to ensuring that the legacy of JET is preserved, and the expertise of its talented team is effectively integrated into future projects.

We are open to any further discussions or clarifications you might seek on this matter. Your insights and contributions to fusion research are invaluable, and we are committed to maintaining an open and constructive dialogue as we navigate this evolving landscape together.

Thank you once again for your dedication to the field of fusion energy and for initiating this important conversation.

Warm regards,    

Tony Donné – Programme Manager (CEO) EUROfusion and Ambrogio Fasoli – Chair and Programme Manager Elect of EUROfusion    

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