Arco, Idaho

The small town of Arco, Idaho has the distinction of being the first community in the world to be powered by atomic energy.

For more than an hour on the night of July 17, 1955, the BORAX-III experimental reactor switched into Arco’s power grid to provide electricity to the 1200 person community.

Although just a demonstration, the experiment proved the viability of nuclear power for peaceful purposes, and provided valuable experience to the researchers.