Archive footage filmed in 1955 features the operation of the first ever grid-connected nuclear power plant in Obninsk one year after its launch.

Obninsk nuclear power plant in Kaluga region (about 100 km or 62 mi southwest Moscow) was connected to the power grid on June 27, 1964, and had been operated for almost five decades, until it was closed on April 29, 2002.

The construction of the power plant started in January 1951, while first criticality was achieved in May 1954. The location of the plant was not chosen by chance, since Obninsk was home to the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering.

Moreover, the plant was constructed in relative proximity to Soviet capital due to the fact that famous nuclear physicist Igor Kurchatov supervised the project. He was not allowed to travel by planes, though the trip from Moscow to Obninsk could had been easily made by car.

According to historical records, the pit of the future station was dug almost manually. The main labor force at the facility were prisoners, who were actively involved in large construction projects during the post-war years.

A 5mWt reactor had a channel-type uranium-graphite design and basically was used as a part of an experiment for commercial electricity.

After its closure, Obninsk nuclear power serves as a museum and is believed to show the world that there was a peaceful place for nuclear power.

This archive footage is released as part of the '100 Key Events in Russia in the 20th and 21st Centuries', a project with the Russian State Documentary Film and Photo Archive (rgakfd.ru).