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Zero Energy Thermonuclear Apparatus was the early experiment to produce electricity by Nuclear Fusion (as opposed to Nuclear Fission which is currently used to produce power and Nuclear Waste (so beloved by the greens)).

ZETA 1 construction started in 1954 and was in operation by 1957, ZETA 2 received funding in 1958 but experiments ended in 1961 when method used was superceded by more efficient methods, although later revue of results revealed an anomaly which inspired today's research. ZETA

Experiments to produce Fusion generated electricity continue but have yet to produce more energy than that consumed.
Fusion Today