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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Arco, Idaho - First city lit by nuclear energy

Arco, Idaho, takes credit as being the first city lit by nuclear generated electricity. Near the town was the site of the National Reactor Testing Station, established in 1949 by the Atomic Energy Commission, and now the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.  The lab conducted many early experiments with reactor designs, including the BORAX experiments on early boiling water reactor technology. On July 17, 1955, one of the BORAX reactors (III) was used to provide electricity to Arco, the first reactor in the world to power a city.  


One of the BORAX reactors was a forerunner to the SL-1 reactor at the lab, an experimental US Army reactor that experienced a steam explosion and meltdown in 1961 which killed three persons in an event that raised speculation about possible murder/suicide linked to the accident.

This other card from Arco seems to have added its nuclear history as an afterthought. 


It's mostly about portraying Native Americans - in a rather politically incorrect way by today's standards!

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