Energy & Industry / Energy

First Nuclear Reactor (CP-1)

On 2 December 1942 Fermi's team in Chicago starts the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.

Chicago Pile-1 stacked graphite blocks and natural uranium on a squash court under a university stadium; it ran at about half a watt at first, controlled by cadmium rods. It proved that fission can be kept under control, which led to plutonium production reactors, naval propulsion and, from 1951 (EBR-I in Idaho), nuclear electricity.