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).
Explore Further
Choose from the articles below to continue learning about nuclear.
The fascinating history of the UK Nuclear Sector
Tokaimura – Lessons Learned from Japan’s Criticality Accident
Fukushima – The World’s Worst Nuclear Accident Since Chernobyl
Magnox Reactors – At the Forefront of a New Age
Did you know? Explore Nuclear also offers great careers information and learning resources.
Below you can find references to the information and images used on this page.
Content References
- Chernobyl, World Nuclear Association
- Fukushima Daiichi, World Nuclear Association
- GAIN Course, NSAN
- Hinkley Point C, ONR
- Legal Framework and Regulations, ONR
- Licensing Nuclear Installations, ONR
- Nuclear Development in the United Kingdom, World Nuclear Association
- Our History, IAEA
- Our History, INPO
- Our History, WANO
- Outline History of Nuclear Energy, World Nuclear Association
- Safety of Nuclear Reactors, World Nuclear Association
- Three Mile Island, World Nuclear Association
- United Kingdom, World Nuclear Association
Image References
- Los Alamos: Oppenheimer, Groves & Sproul – Courtesy of Los Alamos National Laboratory
- 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
- Earth Day, PX – Public Domain
- Hinkley Point C Visualisation, UK Government – Open Government Licence v3.0
- UK at Night, NASA – Licence CC BY 2.0 DEED
- Building Dundee, Neil Williamson –Licence CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED
