As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 14, 2002.
                              Registration No. 333-
          -------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                 ---------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             Registration Statement
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933
                                 ---------------

                           THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
                                 ---------------

DELAWARE                                                              04-2209186
(State or other jurisdiction of                                (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                            Identification Number)

                                 81 Wyman Street
                        Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9046
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                 THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION 2002 SHARESAVE PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)


                Seth H. Hoogasian, Secretary and General Counsel
                           Thermo Electron Corporation
                                 81 Wyman Street
                                 P. O. Box 9046
                        Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9046
                     (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                                 (781) 622-1000
          (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)


                                 ---------------



                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


                                                                                            
                                                                                        Proposed
                                                                                        Maximum
                                                            Proposed Maximum            Aggregate            Amount
  Title of securities                 Amount                 Offering Price             Offering      of Registration
   to be registered              to be registered             Per Share                 Price                Fee
   ----------------              ----------------             ---------                 ----------           ---


 Common Stock, $1.00 par             250,000                    $23.125 (1)            $5,781,250 (1)       $1,381.72
   value per share                    shares



     In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration  Statement also covers an indeterminate  number of shares of Thermo
Electron's  common stock as may be issuable in connection with adjustments under
the employee  benefit plan described herein to reflect certain changes in Thermo
Electron's capital structure, including stock dividends or stock splits.

(1)  Estimated  solely  for  the  purpose  of  calculating  the  amount  of  the
registration  fee in  accordance  with Rule 457(h) under the  Securities  Act of
1933. The calculation of the proposed maximum aggregate  offering price has been
based upon (i) the registration  hereunder of an aggregate of 250,000 shares and
(ii)  the  average  of the  high  and  low  sales  prices,  $23.30  and  $22.95,
respectively,  of Thermo  Electron's common stock on the New York Stock Exchange
on January  11,  2002 as  reported  in the  consolidated  transaction  reporting
system.






                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

     The  information  required by Part I is included in documents sent or given
to the respective participants in the plan registered hereunder pursuant to Rule
428(b)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

     Thermo Electron is subject to the informational and reporting  requirements
of Sections 13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended,  and in accordance  therewith  files reports,  proxy  statements and
other  information  with the Securities and Exchange  Commission.  The following
documents,  which  are on file with the  Commission,  are  incorporated  in this
Registration Statement by reference:

     (a)  Thermo Electron's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
          December 30, 2000.

     (b)  Thermo Electron's  Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
          March 31, 2001.

     (c)  Thermo Electron's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
          on May 15, 2001.

     (d)  Thermo Electron's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
          on July 12, 2001.

     (e)  Thermo Electron's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
          on August 6, 2001.

     (f)  Thermo Electron's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
          on August 6, 2001.

     (g)  Thermo Electron's  Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
          June 30, 2001.

     (h)  Thermo Electron's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
          on August 9, 2001.

     (i)  Thermo Electron's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
          on October 12, 2001.


     (j)  Thermo Electron's  Current Report on Form 8-K filed with Commission on
          November 2, 2001.

     (k)  Thermo Electron's  Current Report on Form 8-K filed with Commission on
          November 2, 2001.

     (l)  Thermo Electron's  Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
          September 29, 2001.

     (m)  Thermo Electron's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission
          on November 16, 2001.

     (n)  The  description  of the common  stock  which is  contained  in Thermo
          Electron's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed under the Exchange
          Act, as such description may be amended from time to time.

     (o)  The description of Thermo  Electron's  Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
          which is contained in Thermo Electron's Registration Statement on Form
          8-A filed under the Exchange Act, as such  description  may be amended
          from time to time.


     All  reports  or proxy  statements  filed by Thermo  Electron  pursuant  to
Sections  13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date
of this  Registration  Statement  and prior to the  filing  of a  post-effective
amendment that  indicates that all securities  offered herein have been sold, or
that deregisters all such securities then remaining  unsold,  shall be deemed to
be  incorporated  by reference in this  Registration  Statement and to be a part
hereof from the respective dates of filing of such documents.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

     Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

     The  validity of the common  stock  offered  hereby has been passed upon by
John A. Piccione,  Esq., Deputy General Counsel of Thermo Electron. Mr. Piccione
is a full-time  employee of Thermo Electron and owns or has the right to acquire
65,956 shares of common stock.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

     The Delaware General  Corporation Law and Thermo Electron's  Certificate of
Incorporation  and By-Laws  limit the monetary  liability of directors to Thermo
Electron  and to its  stockholders  and  provide for  indemnification  of Thermo
Electron's  officers and  directors for  liabilities  and expenses that they may
incur in such  capacities.  In general,  officers and directors are  indemnified
with respect to actions taken in good faith in a manner  reasonably  believed to
be in, or not  opposed  to, the best  interests  of Thermo  Electron  and,  with
respect to any criminal action or proceeding, actions that the indemnitee had no
reasonable   cause  to  believe  were   unlawful.   Thermo   Electron  also  has
indemnification  agreements with its directors and officers that provide for the
maximum indemnification allowed by law.


     Thermo  Electron has an insurance  policy which  insures the  directors and
officers of Thermo Electron and its  subsidiaries  against  certain  liabilities
which might be incurred in connection with the performance of their duties.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not Applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

         The Exhibit Index immediately preceding the exhibits is attached hereto
and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.  Undertakings.

     (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1) To file,  during any period in which  offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

               (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
          Securities Act of 1933;

               (ii) To reflect  in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising
          after the effective  date of the  registration  statement (or the most
          recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
          aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
          in the  registration  statement.  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  any
          increase  or decrease  in volume of  securities  offered (if the total
          dollar  value of  securities  offered  would not exceed that which was
          registered)  and  any  deviation  from  the  low  or  high  end of the
          estimated  maximum  offering  range  may be  reflected  in the form of
          prospectus  filed with the  Commission  pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in
          the aggregate,  the changes in volume and price represent no more than
          20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in
          the   "Calculation  of  Registration   Fee"  table  in  the  effective
          registration statement;

               (iii) To include any  material  information  with  respect to the
          plan of  distribution  not  previously  disclosed in the  registration
          statement  or  any  material   change  to  such   information  in  the
          registration statement.

         Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not
apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment
by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to
the Commission by Thermo Electron pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
registration statement.

     (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933,  each  such  post-effective  amendment  shall be deemed to be a new
registration  statement  relating to the  securities  offered  therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.


     (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective  amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

     (b) The  undersigned  Registrant  hereby  undertakes  that, for purposes of
determining  any  liability  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  each filing of
Thermo  Electron's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  (and,  where  applicable,  each  filing of an
employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934)  that is  incorporated  by  reference  in the
registration  statement  shall  be  deemed  to be a new  registration  statement
relating to the securities offered therein,  and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons of
Thermo  Electron  pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or  otherwise,  Thermo
Electron  has been advised  that in the opinion of the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities  (other than the payment by Thermo Electron of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of Thermo Electron
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered,  Thermo  Electron  will,  unless in the  opinion of its  counsel the
matter  has  been  settled  by  controlling  precedent,  submit  to a  court  of
appropriate  jurisdiction  the question  whether such  indemnification  by it is
against  public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.





                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Thermo Electron
certifies  that it has  reasonable  grounds to believe  that it meets all of the
requirements  for  filing  on Form S-8 and has  duly  caused  this  Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized, in the City of Waltham, Commonwealth of Massachusetts,  on this 14th
day of January, 2002.

                                THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION


                                By:     /s/ Richard F. Syron
                                        -------------------------------
                                        Richard F. Syron
                                Its:    Chief Executive Officer and Director


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     Each  of  the  undersigned   Directors  and  Officers  of  Thermo  Electron
Corporation hereby appoints Theo Melas-Kyriazi,  Kenneth J. Apicerno and Seth H.
Hoogasian,  and each of them, his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents,
with full power of  substitution,  for him and in his name,  place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective
amendments)  to this  Registration  Statement,  and to file the  same,  with all
exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities
and Exchange Commission,  granting unto said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents, and
each of them,  full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises,  as fully to
all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents or any of them, or their
or his substitute or substitutes,  may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
thereof.

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has been signed below by the  following  persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated:


                                                                          


    Signature                           Title                                     Date


/s/ Richard F. Syron
----------------------------    Chief Executive Officer and Director
Richard F. Syron                (Principal Executive Officer)                   January 14, 2002


/s/ Marijn E. Dekkers
----------------------------    President, Chief Operating Officer
Marijn E. Dekkers               and Director                                    January 14, 2002


/s/ Theo Melas-Kyriazi
----------------------------    Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Theo Melas-Kyriazi              (Principal Financial Officer)                   January 14, 2002





/s/ Peter E. Hornstra
----------------------------    Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer
Peter E. Hornstra               (Principal Accounting Officer)                  January 14, 2002


/s/ Peter O. Crisp
----------------------------    Director                                        January 14, 2002
Peter O. Crisp


----------------------------    Director                                        January __, 2002
Frank Jungers


/s/ John L. LaMattina
----------------------------     Director                                       January 14, 2002
John L. LaMattina


/s/ Jim P. Manzi
----------------------------    Director                                        January 14, 2002
Jim P. Manzi


----------------------------    Director                                        January __, 2002
Robert A. McCabe


----------------------------    Director                                        January __, 2002
Hutham S. Olayan


/s/ Robert W. O'Leary
----------------------------    Director                                        January 14, 2002
Robert W. O'Leary


/s/ Michael E. Porter
----------------------------    Director                                        January 14, 2002
Michael E. Porter


/s/ Elaine S. Ullian
----------------------------    Director                                        January 14, 2002
Elaine S. Ullian





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit
Number                  Description


5                       Opinion of John A. Piccione, Esq. regarding
                        legality.

23.1                    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

23.2                    Consent of John A. Piccione, Esq.
                        (contained in his opinion filed as Exhibit 5).

24                      Power of Attorney (see signature pages to this
                        Registration Statement).



                                                                       Exhibit 5


                           Thermo Electron Corporation
                                 81 Wyman Street
                        Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9046




                                        January 14, 2002

Thermo Electron Corporation
81 Wyman Street
Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9046

Re:     Registration Statement on Form S-8 Relating
        to 250,000 Shares of the Common Stock,
        $1.00 par value, of Thermo Electron Corporation
        -------------------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen::

     I am Deputy  General  Counsel to Thermo  Electron  Corporation,  a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"),  and have acted as counsel in connection with the
registration  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended,  on Form S-8 (the
"Registration Statement"),  of 250,000 shares of Thermo Electron's Common Stock,
$1.00  par value  per  share  (the  "Shares")  subject  to the  Thermo  Electron
Corporation 2002 Sharesave Plan (the "Plan").

     I or a member of the Company's Legal Department have reviewed the corporate
proceedings  taken by Thermo Electron with respect to the  authorization  of the
issuance of the Shares.  I or a member of the Company's  Legal  Department  have
also  examined  and relied upon  originals  or copies,  certified  or  otherwise
authenticated  to  my  satisfaction,   of  all  corporate  records,   documents,
agreements  or  other   instruments  of  Thermo   Electron  and  have  made  all
investigations of law and have discussed with Thermo Electron's  representatives
all questions of fact that I have deemed necessary or appropriate.

         Based upon and subject to the foregoing, I am of the opinion that:

          1. Thermo Electron is a corporation  validly existing and in corporate
     good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

          2.  The  issuance  and  sale  of the  Shares  as  contemplated  in the
     Registration Statement have been duly authorized by Thermo Electron.

          3. The Shares,  when issued and sold in accordance with the provisions
     of the Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

     This  opinion is  limited  to the  applicable  provisions  of the  Delaware
Constitution,  the General  Corporation Law of the State of Delaware  ("Delaware
Law") and reported judicial decisions interpreting Delaware Law.

     I  hereby  consent  to the  filing  of this  opinion  as  Exhibit  5 to the
Registration Statement.


                                        Very truly yours,


                                        /s/ John A. Piccione
                                        --------------------------
                                        John A. Piccione
                                        Deputy General Counsel





                    Consent of Independent Public Accountants


     As independent public  accountants,  we hereby consent to the incorporation
by  reference  in this  registration  statement  on Form S-8 of our report dated
February 15, 2001,  included in Thermo Electron  Corporation's  Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended  December 30, 2000,  and to all  references  to our
Firm included in this registration statement.


/s/ Arthur Andersen LLP
----------------------------------
Arthur Andersen LLP



Boston, Massachusetts
January 11, 2002