Skip to main content

1951

Experimental Breeder Reactor I
Society: IEEEMain Category: MechanicalSub Category: NuclearEra: 1950-1959DateCreated: 1951EBR-I BuildingArcoState: IDZip: 83415Country: USAWebsite: http://www.ieeeghn.org/wiki/index.php/Milestones:Experimental_Breeder_Reactor_I,_1951Creator: Zinn, Walter

At this facility on 20 December 1951 electricity was first generated from the heat produced by a sustained nuclear reaction providing steam to a turbine generator. This event inaugurated the nuclear power industry in the United States. On 4 June 1953 EBR-I provided the first proof of "breeding" capability, producing one atom of nuclear fuel for each atom burned, and later produced electricity using a plutonium core reactor.

YearAdded:
2004
Image Credit: Courtesy Wikipedia/US Department of EnergyImage Caption: The four lit light bulbs demonstrated the first use of nuclear electricity at Argonne National Laboratory.Era_date_from: 1951
Subscribe to 1951

Innovations

Experimental Breeder Reactor I

At this facility on 20 December 1951 electricity was first generated from the heat produced by a sustained nuclear reaction providing steam to a turbine generator. This event inaugurated the nuclear power industry in the United States. On 4 June 1953 EBR-I provided the first proof of "…

Read More

We hope you enjoyed this essay.

Please support America's only magazine of the history of engineering and innovation, and the volunteers that sustain it with a donation to Invention & Technology.

Donate

Stay informed - subscribe to our newsletter.
The subscriber's email address.