Global challenges of atomic energetics

Global challenges of atomic energetic (to civilized society) which are connected with the inner problems of development the nuclear technologies are examined in the article. The main of them consists in ensuring of nuclear and ecological security of atomic power stations and atomic complex as a whole. The role of Chernobyl catastrophe as a challenge and warning to civilized society is shown. Modern rise of atomic energetic development s is connected with transition from the «epoch of firewood and coal» (XIX - start of XX centuries) to «epoch of hydrocarbons» (the end of XX - the beginning of XXI centuries) and to the «epoch of electric energy using» (XXI century).