Chronological of Nuclear Reactor Development

1940’s

• 1942: World’s first nuclear reactor, Chicago Pile 1 (CP1), achieved criticality.
• 1944: World’s first plutonium production reactor operational in Hanford, USA.

1950’s

• 1951: World’s first nuclear electricity generation with EBR-1 (FBR) in Idaho, USA.
• 1954: World’s first nuclear power submarine, USS Nautilus, launched by the USA & world’s first nuclear power plant(LWGR) operational at Obninskin Russia.
• 1956: First UK nuclear power plant (Magnox), Calder Hall, operational in Sellafield & first nuclear power plant (similar to Magnox) operational in France.
• 1957: First US nuclear power plant (PWR) operational in Shippingport.
• 1959: World’s first nuclear powered merchant ship, NS Savannah, launched in USA.

 1960’s

• 1960: First BWR nuclear power plant operational in Dresden, USA.
  1961: World’s first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise, launched.
• 1962: First CANDU PHWR nuclear power plant operational in Canada.
• 1965: World’s first nuclear powered satellite, SNAP-10A, launched into orbit by USA.

 1970’s

• 1972: World’s first prototype fast breeder reactor(FBR) power plant, BN-350,
• operational in Shevchenko, Kazakhstan, in former Soviet Union.
• 1979: Three Mile Island II nuclear power plant (PWR) accident in Pennsylvania, USA.

1980’s

• 1986: Chernobyl nuclear power plant (LWGR) accident in Ukraine, former Soviet Union.

1990’s

• 1997: First third generation nuclear power plant(Advanced BWR) operational, in KashiwazakiKariwa, Japan.