11 1953 Boiling Water Reactor No. 1 Boiling Water Reactor No. 1 (BORAX-I) was the first of five reactors to test the safety and operating parameters of reactors using boiling water as a moderator and coolant. Water allowed to boil in the core produced saturated steam to drive turbines and generate power. After the reactor shut itself down safely in a number of abnormal scenarios, engineers decided to deliberately push the reactor to learn more about the limits of safe operation. When wind conditions allowed on July 22, 1954, BORAX-I was deliberately “destroyed” by forcefully removing its excursion rod.