Events that shaped Nuclear
The Discovery of Nuclear Fission
1939
1939 was a pivotal year in starting the development of the nuclear industry – this was when nuclear fission was first demonstrated experimentally by Hahn and Strassman, using uranium.
By 1942, Enrico Fermi had created the first man-made nuclear fission reactor – Chicago Pile 1, USA. Also during World War 2: the Manhattan Project, led by the USA with the support of Canada and the UK, comprised research and development undertaken to produce the first nuclear weapons.
The First Nuclear Power Station
1956
On 17 October 1956, Queen Elizabeth II opened the first full-scale Nuclear Power Station in the world, a Magnox Reactor at Calder Hall. Workington in Cumbria became the first town to be powered by nuclear energy.
This followed an announcement in 1953 that the UK Government would pursue a civil nuclear programme, using nuclear fission to generate electricity.
The Start of UK Regulation
1959
The UK’s Nuclear Installations Act 1959 (NIA59) established the requirement for nuclear site licencing and provided for the appointment of inspectors to the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate – regulating nuclear safety. NIA59 was designed to address learning from the Windscale Fire of 1957.
Following NIA 1959, the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) was formed in 1960 with responsibilities for licencing, inspection and regulation of nuclear sites. The current regulatory regime was established by the updated Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (NIA65), with NII later becoming the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) in 2014.
A Second Generation
1976
During 1976, Hinkley Point B and Hunterston B were connected to the grid – the first of the UK’s Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactors (AGRs) to be constructed at a commercial scale.
The AGR is the UK’s second generation reactor design. This was initially prototyped at Windscale, Cumbria – the Windscale Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (WAGR), operating between 1963-1981.
Sharing Expertise
1979
In 1979, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operators (INPO) was created in the USA to promote excellent in the operation of nuclear power plants. This established as standard practice, the sharing of operational experience and promotion of excellence in safety standards.
The creation of INPO was in response to an incident at the Three Mile Island (TMI) Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania, also during 1979.
A New Mission
1989
Berkeley was the first nuclear power station in the UK to begin decommissioning in 1989 after its two units stopped producing electricity in 1988 and 1989, respectively.
More recently, on April 1, 2005, the UK’s oldest nuclear sites began to be safely, securely, and economically cleaned up by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). Sellafield, Dounreay, and the Magnox sites are among the locations on the NDA Estate.
Global Cooperation
1989
In 1989, the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) was created was created – allowing nuclear power operators to work together across the globe. This work includes sharing knowledge and operational experience, providing training and mutual support and conducting peer review.
The creation of WANO was in response to an incident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, during 1986.
A Change in Approach
1995
Sizewell B, the UK’s first Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR), was connected to the grid in 1995. This marked a shift away from the UK’s previous design philosophy of gas-cooled and graphite-moderated reactors. Also in 1995, British Energy took ownership of and privatised the UK’s AGR and PWR stations, before being purchased by EDF in 2009.
Later in the decade, a 1999 incident at the Tokaimura fuel production facility in Japan emphasised the importance of a healthy nuclear safety culture and a strong independent regulator – reaffirming the important mission of the UK’s independent regulator, now the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).
International Standards
2011
Recognising lessons learned from a 2011 incident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) commenced a programme to revise and reinforce its global safety standards. This includes protection against natural hazards, such as seismic events.
A Renewed Push
2024
In 2024, the UK government released the details of a plan to increase the country’s nuclear power output. The objective? By 2050, nuclear energy should provide 24 GW, or 25% of the UK’s electricity demands. This will contribute to both national energy security and, importantly, net zero.
The construction of PWRs at Sizewell C, Hinkley Point C, and another location are included in the roadmap. This is on top of researching cutting-edge technologies like Advanced Nuclear Technologies (ANTs) and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
To find out more about the history of the development of the UK’s nuclear industry, why not check out our dedicated page for an event-by-event rundown?
Adam Piatt
Chernobyl, World Nuclear Association
Fukushima Daiichi, World Nuclear Association
Legal Framework and Regulations, ONR
Licensing Nuclear Installations, ONR
Nuclear Development in the United Kingdom, World Nuclear Association
Outline History of Nuclear Energy, World Nuclear Association
Safety of Nuclear Reactors, World Nuclear Association
Los Alamos: Oppenheimer, Groves & Sproul – Courtesy of Los Alamos National Laboratory
Unless otherwise indicated, this information has been authored by an employee or employees of the Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS), operator of the Los Alamos National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The U.S. Government has rights to use, reproduce, and distribute this information. The public may copy and use this information without charge, provided that this Notice and any statement of authorship are reproduced on all copies. Neither the Government nor LANS makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any liability or responsibility for the use of this information.
Atom, Геральт – Licence CC0 1.0 DEED
Nuclear Fission, 思源如宁 – Licence CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED
Calder Hall Nuclear Power Station, UK Government – Open Government Licence v3.0
Chapelcross Nuclear Power Station, John – Licence CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED
Sellafield, Tom Anderson – Licence CC BY 2.0 DEED
Windscale Works, US DOE – Public Domain
IAEA Safeguards Inspectors, US AEC – Licence CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED
Torness Nuclear Power Station, Taras Young – Licence CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED
Heysham Nuclear Power Station, David Merrett – Licence CC BY 2.0 DEED
Exelon Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station, Constellation Energy – Licence CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED
Alvin Ward Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant, NRC – Public Domain
Berkeley Power Station, Robert Powell – Licence CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED
Wylfa Nuclear Power Station, UK Government – Open Government Licence v3.0
Chernobyl Reactor 4 New Safe Confinement, Mattias Hill – Licence CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED
Chernobyl Sarcophagus, Vadim Mouchkin / IAEA – Licence CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED
Sizewell B Nuclear Power Station, Simon James – Licence CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED
Sizewell B Aerial Image, John Fielding – Licence CC BY 2.0 DEED
Tokai Nuclear Power Plant, US DOE – Public Domain
Fukushima Daiichi Aerial Image, TEPCO – Licence CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, US DOE – Public Domain
Hinkley Point C Visualisation, UK Government – Open Government Licence v3.0
