"Electricity was first generated here from Atomic Energy on December 20, 1951. On December 21, 1951, all of the electrical power in this building was supplied from Atomic Energy."

Those words are written on the wall of a nuclear reactor in Arco, Idaho, a site now designated as a Registered National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The inscription is signed by 16 scientists and engineers responsible for this event.

The production of electricity from nuclear power was truly a momentous occasion. Scientists had known for nearly two decades that such a conversion was possible. Use of nuclear energy as a safe, efficient energy source of power was regarded by many people in the United States and around the world as one of the most exciting prospects for the "world of tomorrow."

Until 1945, scientists' efforts had been devoted to the production of nuclear weapons. The conclusion of...