Editing Idaho Falls, Idaho (section)

===Nuclear reactors===
[[File:Sl-1-ineel81-3966.jpg|thumb|left|upright|SL-1 reactor core in Idaho Falls following a 1961 accident that killed three people]]
[[File:Idaho National Lab CAES.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Idaho National Lab CAES|The Idaho National Laboratory, the University of Idaho, Idaho State University, Boise State University, and the University of Wyoming have labs, classrooms, offices, and other facilities just north of downtown. Among these partnerships is the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), shown here, which overlooks the Snake River.]]

In 1949, the [[United States Atomic Energy Commission|Atomic Energy Commission]] opened the [[National Reactor Testing Station]] (NRTS) in the desert west of Idaho Falls. On December 20, 1951, a [[nuclear reactor]] there produced useful [[electricity]] for the first time in history. There have been more than 50 unique reactors built at the facility for testing—only three remain active.{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}}

On January 3, 1961, NRTS became the scene of the only fatal nuclear reactor incident in U.S. history. The event occurred at an experimental [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] plant known as the Argonne Low-Power Reactor, which the Army called the [[Stationary Low-Power Reactor Number One]] (SL-1). Due to poor design and maintenance procedures, a single control rod was manually pulled out too far from the reactor, causing the reactor to become [[prompt critical]], leading to a destructive power excursion. Three trained military men had been working inside the reactor room when a mistake was made while reattaching a control rod to its motor assembly.<ref name="Tucker">{{cite book |last=Tucker |first=Todd |url=https://archive.org/details/atomicamericahow00todd |title=Atomic America: How a Deadly Explosion and a Feared Admiral Changed the Course of Nuclear History |publisher=Free Press |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-4165-4433-3 |location=New York |url-access=registration}} See summary: [http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0904/2008013842-s.html]</ref> With the central control rod nearly fully extended, the nuclear reactor rated at 3 MW rapidly increased power to 20 GW. This rapidly boiled the water inside the core.<ref>[https://fas.org/sgp/othergov/doe/lanl/la-3611.pdf LA-3611 ''A Review of Criticality Accidents''], William R. Stratton, [[Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory]], 1967</ref><ref>[http://www.orau.org/ptp/library/accidents/la-13638.pdf LA-13638 ''A Review of Criticality Accidents'' (2000 Revision)], Thomas P. McLaughlin, et al., [[Los Alamos National Laboratory]], 2000.</ref> As the steam expanded, a pressure wave of water forcefully struck the top of the reactor vessel, upon which two of the men stood. The explosion was so severe that the reactor vessel was propelled nine feet into the air, striking the ceiling before settling back into its original position.<ref name=ProvePrinciple15 /> One man was impaled by a shield plug and lodged into the ceiling, where he died instantly.<ref name="Tucker" /> The other men died from their injuries within hours. The three men were buried in lead coffins, and that entire section of the site was buried.<ref name=ProvePrinciple15>{{cite book|last=Stacy |first=Susan M. |title=Proving the Principle - A History of The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, 1949-1999 |publisher=U.S. Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office |year=2000 |url=http://www.inl.gov/proving-the-principle/chapter_15.pdf |isbn=0-16-059185-6 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807212441/http://www.inl.gov/proving-the-principle/chapter_15.pdf |archive-date=2011-08-07 }} Chapter 15.</ref><ref name=ProvePrinciple16>{{cite book |last =Stacy |first =Susan M. |title =Proving the Principle - A History of The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, 1949-1999 |publisher =U.S. Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office |year =2000 |url =http://www.inl.gov/proving-the-principle/chapter_16.pdf |isbn =0-16-059185-6 |url-status =dead |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20121101024857/http://www.inl.gov/proving-the-principle/chapter_16.pdf |archive-date =2012-11-01 }} Chapter 16.</ref><ref name=radiationworks>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiationworks.com/sl1reactor.htm|title=SL-1 Accident - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory - The World's First Deadly Atomic Accident|last=Radiationworks|website=Radiationworks.com|access-date=25 August 2017}}</ref> The core meltdown caused no damage to the area, although some radioactive [[nuclear fission product]]s were released into the atmosphere.

The site has since developed into the [[Idaho National Laboratory]] (INL), a [[United States Department of Energy national laboratories|national laboratory]] operated by the [[United States Department of Energy]]. INL and its contractors are a major economic engine for the Idaho Falls area, employing more than 8,000 people between the desert site and its research and education campus in Idaho Falls. Among other projects, INL operates and manages the world-famous [[Advanced Test Reactor]] (ATR).