FOREWORD_2013_Economics-of-Atomic-Energy

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FOREWORD 
PROBABLY the greatest single event of this century is the fact 
that nuclear power has become economic, and electricity will 
be produced at a cost equivalent to that from ordinary coal 
and oil-fired power stations within the next three or four 
years. Indeed, by 1962 there can be no doubt that nuclear 
power will be generating electricity more cheaply than coal 
or oil. The future trend from that date onwards will 
undoubtedly be for cheaper and cheaper electricity from 
nuclear power and more and more expensive coal and 
probably also oil. 
Britain has already played a historic role in the develop-
ment of nuclear power as an industrial force. British people 
have no doubt that their country will continue to be in the 
vanguard of nuclear power development. 
The United States and Russia are, however, already 
providing competition and are likely to be joined within the 
next decade by Germany and Japan as competitors to the 
British lead, and perhaps by yet other countries, or by groups 
of countries similar to those who have joined together to 
form Euratom. 
Miss Golding discusses critically the growth of Britain's 
nuclear power from the viewpoint of one who is well 
informed, yet outside and therefore free from the trammels 
imposed by either membership of the U.K. Atomic Energy 
Authority or the companies. 
Her contribution to the history of this important theme of 
modern industrial history and the discussion of its likely 
future implications is of necessity personal. At the same time 
this volume endeavours to outline clearly and authoritatively 
the major trends of a subject which is inevitably, because of 
its youth and rapid growth, subjected to more rapid shifts of 
opinion and fact than practically any other sphere of economics. 
London. 
March, 1957. 
DEREK WRAGGE MORLEY.