Science

Nuclear Power Timeline 1954-2026: The AI-Era Comeback

Nuclear power is getting renewed attention because AI data centers, electrification and climate goals are increasing demand for reliable, low-carbon electricit…

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FIRST GRID ELECTRICITY 1954

Obninsk Becomes the First Grid-Connected Nuclear Power Station

The Soviet Union connected the AM-1 reactor at Obninsk to the local grid on 26 June 1954, generating about 5 megawatts. It proved controlled nuclear fission could power…

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THREE MILE ISLAND 1979

Three Mile Island Shakes US Nuclear Confidence

A partial meltdown in Unit 2's reactor core on 28 March 1979 released small amounts of radioactive gas. No confirmed deaths resulted, but it remains the most serious US…

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CHERNOBYL 1986

Chernobyl Becomes the Worst Nuclear Accident on Record

A flawed reactor design and a mishandled safety test caused Reactor 4 to explode on 26 April 1986, spreading radioactive fallout across Europe and forcing permanent evac…

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FUKUSHIMA 2011

Fukushima Triggers Germany's Nuclear Phase-Out

An earthquake and tsunami disabled cooling at Fukushima Daiichi on 11 March 2011, causing meltdowns in three reactors. Japan shut its whole fleet for review; Germany acc…

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COP28 PLEDGE 2023

More Than 20 Countries Pledge to Triple Nuclear Capacity by 2050

At COP28 in December 2023, more than 20 countries signed a declaration to work toward tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050, treating it as essential low-carbon firm…

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AI POWER DEALS 2024

Microsoft Signs a 20-Year Deal to Restart Three Mile Island Unit 1

In September 2024, Constellation Energy agreed to restart Three Mile Island's undamaged Unit 1, rebranded the Crane Clean Energy Center, under a 20-year deal to sell pow…

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GOOGLE-SMR DEAL 2025

Google Signs the First Corporate SMR Power Deal

Google signed a power-purchase agreement with Kairos Power for its Hermes 2 molten-salt-cooled reactor project, the first corporate SMR deal of its kind, alongside Googl…

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RESTARTS UNDERWAY 2026

Palisades and Duane Arnold Become the Two Real Restart Tests

Holtec closed out major restart work at Palisades by mid-2026 but had no confirmed restart date after cracked steam-generator tubes were found. NextEra's Duane Arnold re…

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