RSS
Home
Hanford and the B Reactor.
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Loading face of the B Reactor
For the nuclear tourist, Hanford and the B reactor are a must see. The B Reactor was the first ever large scale production reactor, and set the pattern for most future production reactor development. The Hanford site was the largest nuclear production facility in the nation, with its nine reactors producing two thirds of the plutonium used in American nuclear warheads. Needless to say, the place was well protected, and visitors were not welcome.
Today it is different. The reactors have been closed since the eighties, as we consider the 100 plus tons of plutonium stockpiled, to be more than enough for any anticipated needs. Around thirteen pounds is required for the production of a nuclear warhead. Certain portions of the site are still off limits, and photography is prohibited in much of the rest; but there are weekly tours now available. Two different tours are offered.
The first tour is a comprehensive tour of the site. It includes a trip to the B Reactor, as well as stops at several pollution abatement points, and dump sites. There is a drive by of the encapsulation center, as well as a drive past the huge trench in which retired naval nuclear reactors are set for disposal. No photography is permitted on this tour. Set aside about six hours for this tour.
The second tour is of the B Reactor alone. The tour bus drives around the rest of the Hanford site, not passing through, and enters on an access road maybe a quarter mile from the reactor itself. Several guides, some of whom once worked as reactor operators, show you around, and give a bit of an insight into what went on here. Photography is allowed here. Set aside about two hours for this tour.
The Tri-City area, in which Hanford is located, is a bit of rugged southeastern Washington State. This is classic cowboy country, and looks the part. There is desert here, mixed with prairie, and a bit of mountain. The main industry here is still nuclear related. Clean up of Hanford is set to take decades, and is a major employer. In addition, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory is one of the nation’s major nuclear research sites.
As of this writing, the tour season is closed; but reservations for the whole site tour can be made at
http://www5.hanford.gov/publictours/
Reservations for the B Reactor tours can be made at:
http://manhattanprojectbreactor.hanford.gov/?tour=registrationstart
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
.JPG)
