Nuclear power today and tomorrow

U.S. nuclear power plant capacity is now 1.2 GWe. By year 2000, 45 per cent of electric power will be nuclear. Great expansion is also anticipated in ship propulsion, space, and desalting of sea water In less than 25 years, the nuclear chain reaction has progressed from the laboratory to the bomb to extravagant hopes for peaceful utilization, and to disillusionment when the hopes were not quickly realized. We now arrive at today´s position in which nuclear power is the preferred power source in many situations and enjoys excellent prospects for expanded utilization in the future. For electric power generation, nuclear power is already economically competitive in certain wide areas of the world and may soon become a necessity in conserving natural resources and limiting air pollution. Below water and in outer space, nuclear power is the means of performing missions otherwise impossible. These examples highlight the truly remarkable progress that has been made in taming the atom.