in 1966, this same site was home to South Dakota’s first, last and only nuclear power plant. The plan for the plant was submitted to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and Northern States Power in August of 1959 by Allis Chalmers Manufacturing, which around here, most of us know as a tractor company. At that time Allis Chalmers had an Atomic Energy Division. //

In South Dakota just under half of our power comes from the hydro-electric plants along the Missouri River. Pathfinder might have gone on to power homes in South Dakota, however repeated failure in the steam separators caused the plant to shut down and eventually led to the decision to close the plant.

“I think we would classify Pathfinder as a research project. You know it began construction in the late ’50s, went online in 64, and then operated for 3 years, intermittently for testing purposes, for research purposes,” said Wilcox. //

“The reactor itself was removed in 1991,” said Wilcox.

The rest of Pathfinder was taken down and moved in the early 2000s.

“And the piping and all the other equipment which was at a level low enough to be handled by people physically without any protective gear,” Wilcox added.