N Reactor

E9800

N Reactor was a dual-purpose plutonium production and power-generating nuclear reactor at the Hanford Site in Washington, notable for its graphite-moderated, water-cooled design and role in the U.S. Cold War weapons program.


Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf dual-purpose reactor
graphite-moderated reactor
nuclear reactor
plutonium production reactor
power reactor
water-cooled reactor
associatedProgram U.S. nuclear weapons program
civilian nuclear power program
commercialOperationStartDate mid-1960s
commissioningDate 1963
connectedTo Hanford Generating Plant
constructionStartDate 1959
coolant water
coolingSource Columbia River water
country United States
designFeature dual-purpose design for plutonium and power
graphite moderator blocks
horizontal fuel channels
on-line refueling capability
pressurized water cooling channels
environmentalIssue radioactive contamination at Hanford Site
firstCriticalityDate 1963
fuel uranium
fuelType metallic uranium
historicalPeriod Cold War
locatedIn Columbia River
Hanford Site
Washington state
moderator graphite
notableFor being the only dual-purpose reactor in the U.S. that produced both plutonium and electricity
graphite-moderated, water-cooled design
role in U.S. nuclear weapons material production
operator U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
U.S. Department of Energy
ownedBy U.S. federal government
partOf Hanford plutonium production complex
powerOutputElectrical approximately 860 MWe
powerOutputThermal approximately 4000 MWt
purpose electricity generation
plutonium production
steam generation
regulatoryBody U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
safetyConcern cooling system reliability
graphite fire risk
shutdownDate 1987
status permanently shut down
under decommissioning
usedFor U.S. Cold War nuclear weapons program
civilian power generation

Referenced by (2)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Hanford production reactors
hasPart
Hanford Site
reactor

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