This might be stretching the definition of the Nature Writing Challenge but nuclear energy can be natural and this is a national historic landmark. Plus, the kids thought it was pretty cool. The topic for the challenge tonight is my favorite part of National Park history but since I already wrote The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, I thought I’d share about a unique and quirky use of public land designation that stands out in my journey to visit as many national parks, monuments and landmarks as I can while on road trips.
The Experimental Breeder Reactor (EBR-1) is a national historic landmark out in the middle of nowhere (Idaho) where usable electricity was first generated from nuclear energy in 1951 and we visited it on a road trip from Nebraska to Washington as we were headed towards Craters of The Moon National Monument & Preserve (another super cool place).
Yes, you can actually visit a decommissioned nuclear power plant where you can view nuclear reactors and use some of the same mechanics and tools that engineers used during the 12 years the plant was in operation. Our trip was in the middle of August in the hot summer sun and after visiting Dinosaur National Monument in Jensen, Utah, everyone was ready for a little shade.
Now, I am going to apologize now that some (most) of the pictures I took inside the plant are a bit fuzzy. They claim that there is no radiation in the building but I can tell you that if you are like me and get that weird feeling when near power lines, it was like that. I wasn’t surprised the pictures were wonky and attribute it to that. Unless there are ghosts, of course. There is always that.
Some tidbits about the plant from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) website:
- On December 20, 1951, EBR-I became the first power plant to produce electricity using atomic energy.
- EBR-I was the first reactor built-in Idaho at the National Reactor Testing Station (forerunner to today’s INL)
- In 1953, testing at EBR-I confirmed that a reactor could create (or breed) more fuel than it consumes.
- This pioneering reactor operated for 12 years before being shut down for the last time in December 1963.
- President Lyndon Johnson dedicated EBR-I as a National Historic Landmark in 1966.
It was at 1:50 p.m. on December 20, 1951, that it produced sufficient electricity to illuminate four 200-watt light bulbs and history was made.
“The design purpose of EBR-I was not to produce electricity but instead to validate nuclear physics theory which suggested that a breeder reactor should be possible. In 1953, experiments revealed the reactor was producing additional fuel during fission, thus confirming the hypothesis.” -Wikipedia
Because it was summer, we had a guide for our tour of the plant but other times of the year you can just follow self-guided signage about the building. It was interesting to see some of the articles from that time period. Historical value only, don’t actually use…
Leonard Koch, the engineer who pioneered this power plant, lived to 95. He died from a fall, so I’m pretty sure if there was any exposure during our little visit, there are no lasting effects.
And if you want proof about how cool this historic landmark is, just check out what my son wrote next to our passport stamp. You know it is cool if you get bubble letters. The only other national monument we’ve visited that got bubble letters was Mount Rushmore.
So, the next time you are driving out in the middle of Idaho make sure to take a little detour and check out the EBR-1, the World’s First Nuclear Power Plant for yourself. There are picnic tables outside, too, under a pair of house-sized atomic jet engines. Where else can you eat a meal next to something like that?
You can find this national historic landmark on US Hwy 26/20, 20 miles east of Arco, Idaho and it is open to the public:
- Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend:
- Seven days a week
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Free admission
This post was written in one hour for the #NatureWritingChallenge. Check out Twitter to learn more or see my other posts from the challenge here.
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