Miscellany

The homogeneous reactor at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which has been operated at low power during the past year in experiments to deter determine nuclear characteristics, was brought up to its full design power of one thousand kilowatts of heat output on February 24th. The reactor steam was then switched to a turbine‐generator and enough electricity was produced (about 150 kw) to meet the estimated needs of fifty average five‐room dwellings, according to the Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, which operates the Laboratory for the AEC. Although capable of producing both fissionable material and electric power, the homogeneous reactor, intended as a pilot model, was not designed to produce economic electric power.