A Presidential Visit to the Experimental Breeder Reactor - I (EBR-I), 1966

On Aug. 26, 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson presided over ceremonies that designated the retired EBR-I reactor a Registered Historical National Monument. Before 15,000 witnesses, he said, "We have come to a place today where hope was born that man would do more with his discovery [of atomic fission] than unleash destruction in its wake." EBR-I helped spawn a huge international industry that now plays a major role in meeting the world's energy needs. Today more than 100 nuclear power plants provide 20 percent of the electricity consumed in the United States. More than 435 reactors provide some 17 percent of the world's electricity, and about 65 more plants are under construction around the world. For more information, visit https://www.ne.anl.gov/About/reactors....