WSU nuclear reactor prepared for earthquake

 

 

PULLMAN – Nuclear reactor operators at Washington State University  say their systems are prepared for a potential earthquake.

 

“We actually have a scram system and a seismic trip so that if an earthquake would occur, then the reactor would automatically shut down,” said Corey Hines, who supervises a small one megawatt research reactor at WSU that is used for teaching, research and for the production of radioactive isotopes, such as those used in medicine.  A 65-thousand gallon tank of water surrounding the WSU reactor ensures that if a similar problem were to hit Pullman, his reactor would automatically shut down and cool off completely in under an hour.

 

The WSU Nuclear Reactor recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of providing critical teaching to students in fields of nuclear engineering, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, geology, environmental sciences, archaeology, and forensic studies.