PM-3A nuclear reactor

E568399

The PM-3A nuclear reactor was a small U.S. Navy-built nuclear power plant that supplied electricity and heat to McMurdo Station in Antarctica during the 1960s and early 1970s.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf military nuclear reactor
nuclear reactor
pressurized water reactor
small modular reactor
associatedWithTreaty Antarctic Treaty System NERFINISHED
commissioningDate 1962
constructionStartDate 1960
coolant light water
coolingCircuit closed-loop pressurized water
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
decommissioningActivity removal of reactor plant and contaminated soil
decommissioningDate 1972
designationMeaning Portable, Medium-power, 3rd design, Antarctica
designedBy Martin Company NERFINISHED
designedFor remote polar installation
designPressureVesselMaterial steel
electricalOutput 1200 kWe
firstCriticalityDate 1962-03-04
fuelEnrichment 93% U-235
fuelType highly enriched uranium
gridConnection McMurdo Station internal grid
heatSupply space heating for McMurdo Station buildings
legacy influenced later small modular reactor concepts
locatedIn Antarctica
Ross Island NERFINISHED
location McMurdo Station NERFINISHED
moderator light water
notableFeature first U.S. Navy nuclear power plant in Antarctica
first nuclear power plant in Antarctica
operationalPeriod 1962–1972
operator U.S. Naval Nuclear Power Unit NERFINISHED
United States Navy
primaryUser McMurdo Station NERFINISHED
program U.S. Army Nuclear Power Program NERFINISHED
purpose district heating
electric power generation
steam production
radioactiveWasteDestination United States NERFINISHED
reactorCoreType integral pressure vessel core
reactorType pressurized water reactor
reasonForShutdown economic considerations
technical problems and safety concerns
replaced diesel generators at McMurdo Station
replacedBy diesel generators at McMurdo Station NERFINISHED
safetyIssues primary system leaks
repeated fuel element failures
shutdownDate 1972-09
steamUse water desalination at McMurdo Station
thermalPower 1800 kWth

Referenced by (1)

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McMurdo Station previousPowerSource PM-3A nuclear reactor