Elk River Station

Elk River Station is an energy-from-waste plant operating in Elk River, Minnesota that generates 35 to 42 megawatts of electrical power. The site was originally built as a coal and oil-fired facility in 1950, then construction began on a nuclear power plant (boiling water reactor) in 1959. The nuclear reactor was small (22 MW) and only operated from July 1, 1964 until February 1, 1968 before undergoing decommission and dismantlement in the following years, ending in the early 1970s. Some of the spent nuclear fuel from Elk River was sent to Italy for reprocessing as part of a thorium fuel cycle research program; decades later this became the subject of diplomatic exchanges regarding its ultimate fate.

Elk River Station

Elk River Station is an energy-from-waste plant operating in Elk River, Minnesota that generates 35 to 42 megawatts of electrical power. The site was originally built as a coal and oil-fired facility in 1950, then construction began on a nuclear power plant (boiling water reactor) in 1959. The nuclear reactor was small (22 MW) and only operated from July 1, 1964 until February 1, 1968 before undergoing decommission and dismantlement in the following years, ending in the early 1970s. Some of the spent nuclear fuel from Elk River was sent to Italy for reprocessing as part of a thorium fuel cycle research program; decades later this became the subject of diplomatic exchanges regarding its ultimate fate.