The first nuclear power plant, designed specifically to generate electricity for use by the civilian population, went on-line 59 years ago this week in Obninsk, outside of Moscow, in the former Soviet Union. It remained in operation for nearly 48 years, finally being decommissioned in 2002.
The first American commercial reactor went online 3 years later in Pennsylvania, and was shut down 25 years later.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obninsk_Nuclear_Power_Plant

OCU