Experimental Breeder Reactor I

Experimental Breeder Reactor I (EBR-I) was a pioneering nuclear reactor built in Idaho in 1951. It demonstrated the concept of a breeder reactor, which produces more fissile material (like plutonium) than it consumes, making efficient use of nuclear fuel. EBR-I was the world’s first reactor to generate electricity and also the first to demonstrate the breeding process, converting non-fissile uranium-238 into fissile plutonium-239. Its successful operation marked a significant step in nuclear technology, showing how reactors could both power homes and expand accessible nuclear fuel resources.