Atoms, Nuclear Energy and No Man's Land

When we traveled to Craters of the Moon yesterday, we traveled along Route 26/20 through an area called INL which is Idaho National Laboratory. Traveled along the Peaks to Craters Scenic Byway. Saw signs, security vehicle parked, signs for Atomic City.  Hmmmm, wonder what it was all about.

No wonder no one lives near it!

What is EBR-1?

On our way back from Craters, we stopped in Arco which is the first town to have all its electricity needs provided by atomic energy.  Learned that most employees who worked on the EBR-1 project lived in either Arco or in Atomic City.  Wasn't until two years after the project (construction) that residential living quarters were built within INL area.

We were being watched

INL (Idaho National Laboratory) is the complex  (huge) that developed  a nuclear energy that was safe and reliable, not using water-cooled method but sodium phosphate as the coolant media.  Ironic that one month after the facility shut down, the Chernobyl accident occurred which used the old (still used throughout the world - water cooled) technology.  Today's role of INL is to provide research and technology to improve the current fleet of nuclear power plants in the U.S. and world.

Wonder if you glow after eating their atomic burger?

What's the significance of the large green rocking chair?

Could not imagine living out in the middle of nowhere.  No trees, no water (how did the emigrants who came along this way survive)? Today Arco has 994 people still living there.

Visited the EBR-1 complex (Experimental Breeder Reactor).  Dave enjoyed the visit since many of the controls and electrical components on display was equipment like he worked on in his younger days. The complex explained the building and generation of nuclear fuel to provide energy and the totally different process it took as compared to what is used today (old technology and not as safe).

Heat Transfer Reactors

We got a huge surprise, before we entered the building we looked at two outdoor heat transfer reactors and sitting on the lower portion of one was a baby Great Horned owl (about the 18" tall) and above, sleeping, was a parent about 3 feet tall.  Majestic!!

Baby Great Horned Owl -  not more than 2 feet away from us

Parent snoozing away - could care less - about 3 feet tall