The Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project films

By Nick Touran, Ph.D., P.E., 2025-05-02 , Reading time: 4 minutes

The Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP) Project was a massive US-government nuclear reactor development project that aimed to build a prototype fast-neutron breeder reactor. The project ran from around 1969 to 1983 when it was defunded. A large amount of equipment was fabricated and delivered, though the plant was never built.

Aalo Atomics approached me looking to sponsor some sodium-related films. I had just recently found a collection of 27 CRBRP-related films in the archive index, and Aalo agreed to sponsor a batch of 12. They turned out great, so Aalo sponsored 7 more (coming soon!). Huge thanks to Matt, Yasir, and the rest of the team at Aalo for making these happen.

These are all on 3/4” U-matic video cassette format, so the resolution is a lot less than the 16mm films we’ve scanned in the past.

CRBRP films

Highlight picture from page

Sodium Safety: Action and Reaction

1979

A liquid metal sodium safety film made as part of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Program. This is for training operators of sodium-cooled nuclear...

Highlight picture from page

Sodium Spill on Protective Suit

1979

This shows liquid metal sodium spraying onto a protective suit. It also shows a guy putting on one of these clunky suits and trying to do stuff lik...

Highlight picture from page

Inert Gas: Coping with Oxygen Deficient Environments in 400 Area

1979?

Safety training video about inert gas environments, e.g. Argon and Nitrogen from the FFTF areas. Originally part of the CRBRP.

Highlight picture from page

Under Sodium Viewing

1981

Since liquid metal sodium is opaque and reactive, it can be hard to find equipment or loose parts under it. So ultrasonic under-sodium viewing tech...

Highlight picture from page

CRBRP: Breeder Equipment Delivered

1981?

Short newscast of a water tank being delivered for Clinch River

Highlight picture from page

CRBRP: Fuel Handling

1981?

Fuel handling equipment for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project.

Highlight picture from page

Clinch River Breeder Story Update

1982

This was part of the Employee Communications from Carolina Power and Light covering the Clinch River Breeder Reactor.

Highlight picture from page

Clinch River Breeder Reactor Closure Head Testing

1982-04-16

This is footage showing testing of the rotating plug reactor head with rotating plug from the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP) project. T...

Highlight picture from page

Large Scale Sodium Fire Suppression Test, 1983

1983-05-11

This is footage from the Large-Scale Sodium Fire Suppression Test performed on May 11, 1983 at the Rockwell International Sodium Fire Test Facility...

Highlight picture from page

CRBRP: Open House at the Construction Site

1983-09-10

Various Clinch River Breeder project leaders giving talks at the bottom of the excavation where they wanted to do construction.

See Also

❮ Main page ❮ All news ❮ Back Next ❯
Reader comments