When did Fermi 1 meltdown?

Oct. 5, 1966
The incident occurred around 3 p.m. at the now-defunct Fermi 1 plant in Frenchtown Township near Monroe and involved the partial meltdown of nuclear fuel in the reactor’s core. No one was hurt and no dangerous radiation released in the Oct. 5, 1966, mishap.

Which nuclear reactor was destroyed in the accident?

Chernobyl
On April 26, 1986, a sudden surge of power during a reactor systems test destroyed Unit 4 of the nuclear power station at Chernobyl, Ukraine, in the former Soviet Union. The accident and the fire that followed released massive amounts of radioactive material into the environment.

Has there ever been a nuclear power plant accident?

Serious nuclear power plant accidents include the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (2011), the Chernobyl disaster (1986), the Three Mile Island accident (1979), and the SL-1 accident (1961). Nuclear power accidents can involve loss of life and large monetary costs for remediation work.

How did the SL-1 disaster happen?

The direct cause was the improper withdrawal of the central control rod, responsible for absorbing neutrons in the reactor’s core. The event is the only reactor accident in U.S. history to have resulted in immediate fatalities.

When was the Fermi fast breeder reactor built?

The 69 MWe prototype fast breeder reactor Fermi 1 unit was under construction and development at the site from 1956 to 1963. Initial criticality was achieved on August 23, 1963. On October 5, 1966 Fermi 1 suffered a partial fuel meltdown.

When was Fermi 1 nuclear power plant shut down?

On October 5, 1966, Fermi 1, a prototype fast breeder reactor, suffered a partial fuel meltdown, although no radioactive material was released. After repairs it was shut down by 1972. On August 8, 2008, John McCain was taken on a 45-minute tour of the plant, becoming the first actively campaigning presidential candidate to visit a nuclear plant.

Is there any groundwater contamination at Fermi 1?

Fermi 1 has an onsite groundwater monitoring program, which has not identified any groundwater contamination due to Fermi 1 operations. Fermi 1 was a fast breeder reactor power plant cooled by sodium and operated at essentially atmospheric pressure.

Where is the Fermi power plant in Michigan?

The Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant, Unit 1 (Fermi 1) is located in Monroe County, Michigan. The site boundary is completely contained within the Fermi 2 site boundary, adjacent to Lake Erie. The site consists of six main buildings and several smaller gallery buildings and interconnections.