Preface to Shippingport Atomic Power Station thematic issue

On Dec 2, 1957 the core of the Shippingport Atomic Power Station achieved first criticality. Some sixteen days later electrical energy was put on the grid, and on Dec 23, 1957 full power operation was achieved. This thematic issue of Progress in Nuclear Energy pays homage to these events of sixty years ago via a collection of articles on the evolution of commercial nuclear energy from those times to today and beyond. But before providing an overview of the content of this thematic issue, it is interesting to examine the similarities of the Shippingport Atomic Power Station, a pressurized water reactor, to modern day light water reactors to better grasp this plant's influence on what was to follow. In doing this, there is intended no disrespect to the other nuclear plants of the time regarding their contributions.