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Four 200-watt light bulbs, wired in series, were illuminated by electricity produced by nuclear energy for the first time in 1951. This occurred at the experimental breeder reactor EBR-I in Arco, Idaho. EBR-I supplied sufficient electricity to power its own building. It was decommissioned in 1964.
EBR-I was designed to validate nuclear physics theory that suggested a breeder reactor was possible. It proved Enrico Fermi's fuel breeding principle by showing it would produce more fuel atoms than it consumed.
In addition to being the first to produce electricity it was also the first breeder-reactor to use plutonium fuel. In 1962 it became the first reactor to produce electricity with a plutonium core.
ERB-I was shut down on December 30, 1963 after its testing and experiments were complete. It has been designated as a Registered Historical National Monument.
Resources:
http://www.euronuclear.org/info/encyclopedia/n/nuclear-power-plant-world-wide.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimental_Breeder_Reactor_I
http://www.ne.doe.gov/pdfFiles/History.pdf
http://www.anl.gov/Media_Center/logos20-1/ebr1.htm
https://inlportal.inl.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_8146_259_6042_43/http;/exps3.inl.gov;7087/publishedcontent/publish/communities/inl_gov/home/ebr1_2_column/recollections_of_a_nuclear_pioneer__kirby_whitham_describes_ebr_i_0.gif [image]
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Re: December 20, 1951 – Electricity Produced by Nuclear Energy
