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Nuclear Energy Timeline

By alexisg23460

  • First Electric Plant Built

    First Electric Plant Built
    Thomas Edison was the man who built the first electric power plant in New York.

  • First Commercial Scale Hydroelectric Plant Goes into Operation in Appleton, Wisconsin

    First Commercial Scale Hydroelectric Plant Goes into Operation in Appleton, Wisconsin
    One of the world’s first hydro-electric central stations was placed in successful operation in Appleton, Wisconsin. Early in 1883 the waverly House was wired, reportedly becoming the first hotel in the western part of the United States with electric light.

  • World's First Geothermal Power Plant is Built in California

    World's First Geothermal Power Plant is Built in California
    The world’s first power plant was built in California and it runs off of the Earth’s energy.

  • First Controlled Nuclear Chain Reaction

    As the world went to war in the 1940’s, [Physicist Enrico] Fermi and other physicists in Europe and America came to understand that a uranium atom split by a neutron would cause a self-perpetuating chain reaction of atom splitting that would release enormous energy.

  • First Nuclear Power Reactor to Generate Electricity Built in Idaho

    First Nuclear Power Reactor to Generate Electricity Built in Idaho
    The very first Nuclear Power Reactor was built in Idaho.

  • First Commercial Nuclear Power Plant Begins Operation in Shippingport, Pennsylvania

    First Commercial Nuclear Power Plant Begins Operation in Shippingport, Pennsylvania
    The Duquesne Light Company of Pittsburgh built the Shippingport power plant as a commercial. This power plant was completely decontaminated.

  • Solar Cells Begin to Lower in Price and Become Cost Effective for Use on Land

    The cost for the solar cell begins to drop and how manufacturers worried more about size, efficiency and durability.

  • Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards Set by the Energy Policy Conservation Act

    The Energy Policy Conservation Act, enacted into law by congress in 1975, added Title V, ‘Improving Automotive Efficiency, to the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act and establishes CAFE standards for passenger cars and light trucks.

  • Solar One: First Large Scale Solar-Thermal Power Plant Begins Operation in Daggett, California

    Solar One: First Large Scale Solar-Thermal Power Plant Begins Operation in Daggett, California
    Solar energy power plant was created in Southern California and was used to run a generator and to produce heat.

  • BP Oil Rig Explodes & Causes Largest Oil Spill in US History

    The source is talking about the largest oil spill in history, that happened in the Gulf of Mexico. The source also tells that everyone thought the oil rig that was involved was leaking 5,000 barrels a day into the gulf, when it was actually leaking 12,000 to 19,000 barrels a day into the gulf.

  • US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Approves New Nuclear Power Plants for First Time Since 1978; Two New Reactors to Be Built in Georgia

    The US approves of nuclear energy again since 1978.

  • President Obama releases his climate action plan including increased use of renewable energy and carbon pollution restrictions for power plants

    President Obama is issuing a Presidential Memoradum directing the Environmental Protection Agency to work expeditiously to complete carbon pollution standards for both new and existing power plants. Also the Department of Defense- the single largest consumer of energy in the United States- is committed to deploying 3 gigawatts of renewable energy of military installations.