The world's nuclear fleet in 1956
In 1956, 6 nuclear reactors were operating in 4 countries, 55 MWe net, with 15 under construction. 4 of those units are not included in the net capacity because no net figure has been published for them.
Compared with 1955, the operating fleet grew by 3 reactors. 3 reactors were connected to the grid that year, 62 MWe: Marcoule G1 (France), Calder Hall 1 (United Kingdom) and Experimental Boiling Water Reactor 1 (United States). France and the United Kingdom connected their first nuclear reactor in 1956. The countries with the most operating capacity were United Kingdom (50 MWe) and Russia (5 MWe).
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Connected to the grid in 1956
| Unit | Country | Type | Model | MWe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcoule G1 |  France | — | unknown | 7 |
| Calder Hall 1 |  United Kingdom | GCR | Magnox | 50 |
| Experimental Boiling Water Reactor 1 |  United States | — | unknown | 5 |
Countries by operating capacity in 1956
| # | Country | Reactors | MWe | Under construction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Kingdom | 1 | 50 | 8 |
| 2 |  Russia | 2 | 5 | — |
| 3 | France | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | United States | 2 | 0 | 5 |
Data: Global Energy Monitor (CC BY 4.0), IAEA PRIS 2025, Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons. Capacities in net MWe unless stated.