Chicago Pile-1
- Country: USA
- Role: Research
- Status: Decommissioned
- Year: 1942
Overview
The first artificial nuclear reactor, a pile of graphite blocks and uranium built in a squash court under the stands of Stagg Field at the University of Chicago. Under Enrico Fermi it achieved the first self sustaining chain reaction on 2 December 1942. It was dismantled in 1943 and rebuilt as CP-2 outside the city. A Henry Moore sculpture marks the spot.
Related Sites
Shippingport
First full scale commercial nuclear plant in the United States, a 60 MW pressurized water reactor on the Ohio River near Pittsburg...
Three Mile Island
Unit 2 suffered a partial meltdown in March 1979 after a stuck valve drained coolant, the most serious US reactor accident, with n...
Palo Verde
Three pressurized water reactors totaling about 3,900 MW in the Arizona desert west of Phoenix, the largest generator of electrici...
Diablo Canyon
Two PWRs on the coast near San Luis Obispo, 2,240 MW supplying about 9 percent of California power. Closure planned for 2025 was r...