If you know your Idaho history then you’re probably aware that our state paved the way for the use of nuclear power in our country. After all, we’re home to the first city that’s ever been powered by nuclear energy—Arco, Idaho. However, our nation’s understanding of nuclear power came at a cost. The first fatal nuclear meltdown occurred right here in Idaho in 1961. Three men died during the accident and the event has gone down in history books. There’s even been several movies and books devoted to the nuclear accident, so it’s surprising that more Idahoans don’t realize that it took place. This was no doubt one of the most tragic accidents in Idaho history but it’s one that everybody should know about.
During the mid-20th century, the country was focused on learning more about nuclear power. This was how the Stationary Low-Power Reactor № 1 (or SL-1), located 40 miles west of Idaho Falls, came to be. At the time, the SL-1 was considered a prototype and it was meant to pave the way for nuclear power generators. However, it would have disastrous consequences.
On January 3, 1961, three military men (John Byrne, Richard McKinley, and Richard Legg) made their way to the SL-1 and restarted it after a scheduled shutdown over the holidays. It was on this day that a steam explosion and meltdown occurred, killing all three operators.
In order to understand what happened, you'll have to try to recall how nuclear power works. We know it's been awhile since your last physics class so we'll summarize. Nuclear power plants are powered by the heat energy from the fission of radioactive material, which then produces steam. Engineers are tasked with controlling the rate of fission with "control rods". These control rods are meant to absorb neurons before they can collide with unstable atoms (which would release energy).
On this particular day, all three operators were working on the reactor. However, one of them aimed the main control rod too far from the core. In the time span of just four milliseconds, the core superheated and vaporized any water in the area. Due to this, the reactor was launched into the ceiling, impaling one of the men who had been working at the top of the reactor.
Meanwhile, the instant spray of water and steam knocked the other two operators onto the floor. One man was killed instantly and the other one was severely injured. The injured man would eventually succumb to his injuries. If the men hadn't died from the mere brute force of the accident, the massive amount of radiation would've proven to be deadly instead.
Rescuers arrived on the scene shortly after the event took place but there was nothing they could do. General Electric Corporation was tasked with removing the reactor and cleaning up the contaminated areas. This was a project that lasted through 1962 and required the help of approximately 500 people.
The remains of SL-1 are currently buried near its original site. The tragic incident caused the specific design of SL-1 to be permanently abandoned. Movies and books have both been written about this awful event, like the 1983 movie "SL-1" and the book "Idaho Falls: The untold story of America's first nuclear accident" by William McKeown. However, the SL-1 Accident still remains one of the most unknown tidbits of Idaho history.
Did you know the nation’s first nuclear meltdown occurred here in Idaho? This was a tragic accident but history will always remember it. Idaho’s nuclear history is utterly fascinating and you can explore more of it when you Tour This Nuclear Power Plant In Idaho. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
