SRE Document Archive

Decay Tank Table
This document tabulates radioactive gases released to the atmosphere from SRE decay hold-up tanks from July 1, 1959 to October 1, 1959.

AEC Memo
This memo documents the partial meltdown, which AEC refers to as “Fuel element failure” at the SRE. The memo concludes that the failure is “not an indication of unsafe reactor conditions.”

Atomics International Memo
In this memo, AI staff concludes that radiation readings went “off-scale” as a result of the SRE meltdown.

Atomics International Memo #2
This memo describes the events leading to nuclear fuel damage at the SRE. AI staff explain that temperatures in the fuel channels were “undesirably high,” and that normal operating practices “did not succeed in reducing the temperature difference.” As a result, 13 of the 43 nuclear fuel elements suffered “substantial damage.”

Atomics International Release Graph
This graph shows the activity in the radioactive gas decay tanks, which spiked significantly as a result of the partial meltdown.

Atomics International Press Release
AI publicly acknowledged the SRE partial meltdown by stating only that a “parted fuel element was observed” at the SRE. The press release goes on to claim that the parted fuel element is “not an indication of unsafe conditions.”