Article

Hyman Rickover played a pivotal role in establishing America's first large-scale civilian nuclear power plant, the Shippingport reactor, following World War II. The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) initiated the project after industry proposals in 1950, culminating in a decision to build a demonstration plant in 1953.

Shippingport went critical on December 2, 1957, and began generating electricity shortly thereafter. Initially budgeted at $47.7 million, the project cost $84 million and aimed to address energy demands while showcasing nuclear power's potential for peaceful applications. The reactor operated until 1989, contributing to the evolution of U.S. nuclear energy.