August 1954

The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 was passed to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy through private enterprise and to implement President Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace Program. The Act allowed the Atomic Energy Commission to license private companies to use nuclear materials and build and operate nuclear power plants. This act amended the Atomic Energy Act of 1946, which had placed complete power of atomic energy development in the hands of the Atomic Energy Commission.