From submarine nuclear systems and commercial power plants to the Fast Flux Test Facility, Al Farabee brings more than five decades of nuclear experience to First American Nuclear.
Al Farabee has spent more than 55 years working across the nuclear industry.
His career began as a shift test engineer working on submarine nuclear systems at Charleston Naval Shipyard. From there, his experience expanded to U.S. Army nuclear programs and commercial nuclear power, including work at Oconee Nuclear Station, Davis-Besse and the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant.
His background is rooted in both nuclear and mechanical engineering, with additional study in electrical systems and fluid flow. That multidisciplinary experience ultimately led Al toward an area that would define much of his career: nuclear plant startup and operations.
From Startup to Operations at FFTF
Al’s experience at the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) began during its startup and testing period from 1979 to 1981. He later returned during the latter years of FFTF’s operation and ultimately served as the Department of Energy representative in charge during the facility’s shutdown and transition into long-term surveillance and maintenance.
That meant experiencing a nuclear facility through multiple stages of its lifecycle, from startup and testing to operation, maintenance and shutdown.
Throughout his work at FFTF, Al focused not only on safe operation, but also on day-to-day plant performance, maintenance, reliability and keeping the facility available to perform its research and development mission.
Bringing Decades of Experience to FANCO
Today, Al serves as Principal Engineer, Reactor Operations at First American Nuclear, where he is bringing the experience accumulated throughout his career to FANCO’s development of EAGL-1.
For Al, preserving that experience matters. Much of the firsthand knowledge associated with earlier U.S. liquid-metal reactor programs is held by a relatively small of engineers and operators. As he explained during his interview, maintaining and documenting that knowledge is important.
His own goal at FANCO is straightforward: bring what he has learned over more than five decades in nuclear technology, operations and public engagement into the work being done today on EAGL-1.
And after 55 years in the industry, one lesson continues to shape how Al approaches engineering problems: define the problem clearly, approach it logically and work toward a solution.
