United States · Lemont, IL · 41.702, -87.912

CP-2 Chicago Pile 2

CP-2 Chicago Pile 2, a research reactor (graphite) in Lemont, IL, United States, with 2 kW of thermal power, operated by Argonne National Laboratory. Decommissioned, first critical in 1943.

It was one of the 340 research reactors the United States has had; 48 remain in operation today. It went critical 1 year after the first research reactor in the United States, CP-1, Chicago Pile 1 (1942). 4 graphite-moderated research reactors remain in operation today across 3 countries. Its declared uses include nuclear data measurements.

Country

United States

City

Lemont, IL

Type

Graphite

Thermal power

2 kW

Operator

Argonne National Laboratory

Status

Decommissioned

First criticality

1943

Purpose

Nuclear data

See also: every research reactor in United States · How research reactors work