Kodak Had a Secret Nuclear Reactor Loaded With Weapons-Grade Uranium Hidden In a Basement
Kodak may be going under, but apparently they could have started their own nuclear war if they wanted, just six years ago. Down in a basement in Rochester, NY, they had a nuclear reactor loaded with 3.5 pounds of enriched uranium—the same kind they use in atomic warheads.
I'd need to see the numbers, but I seem to recall the core in Virginia Tech's reactor is very highly enriched as well. They started out building a pissy little 10W reactor for education and neutron activation. The thing was built by American Standard, whose reactor business was going down the toilet, so they were offered a core upgrade to a very potent one that was on-hand. They still use it at 10 W, but could go much higher if they wished. I got a chance to operate it once, and one uses a dainty touch on the controls.
I don't recall being dainty at all on the 150MW stick.
Artful finesse sometimes, but never dainty.
The development of atomic power, though it could confer unimaginable blessings on mankind, is something that is dreaded by the owners of coal mines and oil wells. (Hazlitt)
What I want to do is to look up C. . . . I call him the Forgotten Man. (Sumner)
The development of atomic power, though it could confer unimaginable blessings on mankind, is something that is dreaded by the owners of coal mines and oil wells. (Hazlitt)
What I want to do is to look up C. . . . I call him the Forgotten Man. (Sumner)
