This article answers when the first nuclear power station was built, highlighting Obninsk in the USSR and Calder Hall in the UK as key milestones in nuclear history.
![]()
When Was the First Nuclear Power Station Built?
The invention of the nuclear power station marked a revolutionary moment in the history of electricity generation. As the world searched for cleaner and more efficient alternatives to fossil fuels, nuclear energy emerged as a groundbreaking solution. But when was the first nuclear power station built, and what did it achieve?
The World’s First Nuclear Power Station: Obninsk, USSR
Location: Obninsk, near Moscow, Soviet Union (now Russia)
Commissioned: June 27, 1954
Name: Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant
Reactor Type: AM-1 (Atom Mirny—“Peaceful Atom”)
Electrical Output: Approx. 5 megawatts (MW)
Purpose: Experimental and symbolic launch of peaceful nuclear energy
The Obninsk station was connected to the Soviet grid and marked the first time electricity was commercially generated using nuclear fission.
Significance of Obninsk
Demonstrated the feasibility of harnessing nuclear energy for civil use.
Served as a model for future nuclear facilities.
Paved the way for nuclear technology expansion during the Cold War era.
Highlighted peaceful applications of atomic energy amid arms race tensions.
While modest in power output, Obninsk was a critical proof of concept for nuclear energy as a viable source of commercial electricity.
First Full-Scale Commercial Plant: Calder Hall, UK
Location: Cumbria, England
Commissioned: October 17, 1956
Name: Calder Hall Nuclear Power Station
Reactor Type: Magnox gas-cooled reactor
Initial Capacity: 50 MW (later expanded)
Dual Purpose: Electricity generation and plutonium production
Calder Hall was the first full-scale nuclear power station supplying electricity on a commercial scale to a national grid. Unlike Obninsk, it was explicitly designed for long-term civil power use.
Milestones Following the First Stations
United States: Shippingport Atomic Power Station (1958) in Pennsylvania – first commercial U.S. nuclear power plant.
France, Canada, and Japan followed with their own designs during the 1960s.
Rapid growth of nuclear infrastructure began in the 1970s, peaking in construction by the late 1980s.
Legacy and Influence
These pioneering stations shaped nuclear power’s global expansion by:
Validating the safe and reliable use of fission.
Driving innovation in reactor design, safety, and regulation.
Inspiring the global “Atoms for Peace” movement.
Today, over 440 commercial nuclear reactors operate in 30+ countries, supplying around 10% of global electricity.
Conclusion
The first nuclear power station—Obninsk in 1954—was a modest yet transformative project that triggered a new era in electricity generation. Followed closely by Calder Hall, these facilities proved nuclear power could be used not just for war, but for public good. Their legacy continues in today’s ongoing pursuit of safe, carbon-free energy.
READ MORE：
