Approximately 40 Arkansas Tech University students learned more about careers in the nuclear power industry during a visit to Arkansas Nuclear One on Monday, Oct. 12.
Entitled “Pizza at the Plant,” the event provided ATU students with an opportunity to learn about the past, present and future of nuclear power.
Mike Martin of Arkansas Nuclear One informed the attendees that there are 94 active nuclear reactors in the United States and they produce 19 percent of the nation’s electrical power.
Two of those reactors are in Pope County. ANO Unit 1 went online Dec. 19, 1974, followed by ANO Unit 2 on March 26, 1980.
Arkansas Nuclear One has 950 full-time Entergy Arkansas employees and contractors, and the plant provides electricity to 410,000 homes.
The ATU students’ tour of the Reeves E. Ritchie Training Center included an opportunity to experience simulators for ANO Unit 1 and ANO Unit 2. They also learned about Entergy Arkansas’ employee safety and emergency operations programs.
The morning concluded with a pizza lunch and an opportunity for ATU students to ask questions to ANO employees.
Pizza at the Plant was planned and organized by the ATU Center for Community Engagement and Academic Outreach.
