Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was a pivotal agency established by the U.S. Congress in 1946 to oversee the development and regulation of nuclear energy for both civilian and military applications. Founded under the Atomic Energy Act, its primary roles included promoting the use of nuclear power, ensuring safety regulations for nuclear facilities, and managing the research derived from the Manhattan Project. The AEC facilitated the transition to commercial nuclear power with the passage of the Atomic Energy Act Amendments in 1954, which allowed for the development of nuclear energy production.
While it played a crucial role in advancing nuclear science, the AEC faced criticism for its dual responsibility of promoting nuclear energy while also enforcing safety regulations, leading many to question its effectiveness in protecting public safety and the environment. The agency oversaw significant advancements in nuclear technology, including the development of new reactor types and medical applications of radiation. In 1974, the AEC was dissolved, and its functions were divided between the newly created Energy Research and Development Administration and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, marking a significant shift in how nuclear energy was managed in the United States.
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Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
Identification: Agency established by the US Congress to promote and monitor the use of nuclear energy
Dates: 1946–1974
Because the Atomic Energy Commission was responsible for both the promotion of nuclear power and the safety regulation of nuclear facilities, many critics asserted that the commission was not as diligent as it should be in its regulatory duties.
In 1946, the U.S. Congress passed the Atomic Energy Act, which created the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to promote, monitor, and control the development and use of nuclear energy for civilian and military use. Not only was a buildup of nuclear weapons for defense expected, but also the development of nuclear science for peaceful uses. For security reasons, all nuclear production facilities and reactors were owned by the US government, but the information from research was to be controlled by the AEC. The Manhattan Project facilities, where scientists had developed the first atomic bombs during World War II, were taken over by the AEC. In 1954, Congress passed the Atomic Energy Act Amendments, which made possible the development of commercial nuclear power. The AEC was assigned the responsibility of promoting commercial nuclear power at the same time it was charged with developing safety regulations and controls for nuclear power plants.
The work of the AEC encompassed all areas of nuclear science. The AEC studied the production of nuclear weapons, improved and increased nuclear facilities, and oversaw the development of new weapons, such as the thermonuclear device, a fusion bomb, and nuclear propulsion for warships, especially submarines. The study of nuclear reactors led to improved energy-producing reactors and a new type of reactor, the breeder reactor, that produced new fuel while producing energy. Commercial production of nuclear energy became a reality. Regional research centers were established—at the Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago; at Oak Ridge, Tennessee; at Brookhaven, New York; and at the University of California Radiation Laboratory in Berkeley—where scientists could work on projects in nuclear or radiation science. The AEC also contracted with industrial and university researchers to conduct nuclear-related studies in all areas of scientific research, including medical diagnosis using nuclear techniques, disease treatment by radiation, and treatment for radiation exposure. Other areas of study included the effects of radiation, production of new isotopes, uses of new isotopes, and radiation safety. Reactors to produce energy for satellites were developed and sent into space.
Many observers were critical of the AEC’s double role as promoter of nuclear power and monitor of radiation safety, saying that this was a conflict of interest. Many asserted that the AEC was promoting nuclear energy at the expense of regulation and that the safety regulations for reactors especially, but also for materials production, location of plants, and environmental protection, were inadequate.
The AEC was abolished in 1974, and its former two roles were split. The promotion of nuclear science in the United States was assigned to the Energy Research and Development Administration; these duties later became the responsibility of the Department of Energy. Responsibility for the safety monitoring of nuclear facilities went to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Bibliography
Cooke, Stephanie. In Mortal Hands: A Cautionary History of the Nuclear Age. New York: Bloomsbury, 2009. Print.
Hewlett, Richard G., and Oscar E. Anderson. A History of the United States Atomic Energy Commission. 1962. Reprint. Berkeley: U of California P, 1990. Print.
Walker, J. Samuel. A Short History of Nuclear Regulation, 1946–1999. Washington, DC: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 2000. Print.