X-10 (Graphite Reactor)
Secret Military Facilities
Summary…
The X-10 Plant, located in the city’s southwest corner, was the site where a graphite-moderated nuclear reactor was constructed as a pilot facility for the larger plutonium production complex in Hanford, Washington. This reactor, later used to produce radioisotopes, was closed in 1963. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public on special DOE Public Bus Tours that are conducted from June through September each year. The X-10 area became the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in 1948. ORNL has gained worldwide recognition for its research in the basic sciences, energy systems, environmental technology and safety.
In depth…
