3.2 Nuclear Reactor Just as conventional power-stations generate electricity by harnessing the thermal energy released from burning fossil fuels, nuclear reactors convert the thermal energy released from nuclear fission. Nuclear reactor designs are usually categorized by “generation”; that is, Generation I, II, III, III+, and IV. The key attributes characterizing the development and deployment of nuclear power reactors illuminate the essential differences between the various generations of reactors.
Fig3.5 : The Evolution of Nuclear Reactors
3.2.1 Generation I Gen I refers to the prototype and power reactors that launched civil nuclear power. This generation consists of early prototype reactors from the 1950s and 1960s, such as Shippingport (1957–1982) in Pennsylvania, Dresden-1 (1960–1978) in Illinois, and Calder Hall-1 (1956–2003) in the United Kingdom. This kind of reactor typically ran at 38
