Oak Ridge Graphite Reactor
Overview
The Oak Ridge Graphite Reactor was established in 1942 for the sole purpose of demonstrating the feasibility of producing plutonium from uranium — the first milestone in the creation of the atomic bomb that ended World War II.
What You'll See
Here's where it all began. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory's expansive research into fission, fusion, fossil, and other sources of energy grew frm the frenzied wartime effort to produce plutonium from uranium. In early 1944, this small pilot plant — and an accompanying processing facility — achieved that objective, producing the world's first gram quantities of plutonium. In the process, the Graphite Reactor paved the way for a full-scale plant in Hanford, Washington, to produce the larger quantities of plutonium needed to create the bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki, ending World War II.
After the war, the Graphite Reactor produced the first electricity from nuclear energy, using a thimbleful of water, a tiny generator, and a single light bulb. It was the first reactor used to study the nature of matter and the health hazards of radioactivity. And for nearly 20 years, it was also the world's foremost source of radioisotopes for medicine, agriculture, industry, and research.
Decommissioned in 1963, the Graphite Reactor is now a National Historic Landmark.
As you tour the world's oldest reactor, you'll sense the excitement of those pioneering scientists who raced to create the atomic age.
Public Tours Dates and Times
The ORNL offers a self-guided tour free of charge Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. Facilities are closed on Sundays and holidays. Bus parking and access for the physically disabled are available at each of the three stops. Rest rooms are located only at the Graphite Reactor. For additional information call the Office of Public Affairs at (423) 574-4160.
How to Get There
The Oak Ridge Graphite Reactor is on Bethel Valley Road, just south of Oak Ridge, Tennessee.