Why Here?

Prime Location for Workers and Safe Operation at BONUS

When someone sees the large dome at the BONUS site, one of the first things they may ask is, “Why is it here?” Originally, the site for the BONUS reactor was chosen for several reasons:

1. The plant’s location at Puerto Rico’s westernmost point, Punta Higuera, near Rincon, ensured that any potential airborne contamination would be picked up by winds and travel westward and away from the island.

2. The site’s slope toward the ocean ensured that any potential ground contamination would disperse into the ocean rather than inland.
3. The site was near established infrastructure, including a state road and an existing high-voltage power line.
4. The site was close to the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez and its staff at the Puerto Rico Nuclear Center (now known as the Center for Energy and Environmental Research).

These choices that prioritized worker and public safety — coincidentally placed the site at a breathtaking vista, offering beautiful views of the ocean in one direction and of the island’s tropical landscape in the other.

While experimental, the BONUS site has always been safe and secure. There has never been a nuclear accident and regular testing over the site’s 60-year history has shown no environmental contamination.

Why Here?

Prime Location for Workers and Safe Operation at BONUS

When someone sees the large dome at the BONUS site, one of the first things they may ask is, “Why is it here?” Originally, the site for the BONUS reactor was chosen for several reasons:

1. The plant’s location at Puerto Rico’s westernmost point, Punta Higuera, near Rincon, ensured that any potential airborne contamination would be picked up by winds and travel westward and away from the island.

2. The site’s slope toward the ocean ensured that any potential ground contamination would disperse into the ocean rather than inland.
3. The site was near established infrastructure, including a state road and an existing high-voltage power line.
4. The site was close to the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez and its staff at the Puerto Rico Nuclear Center (now known as the Center for Energy and Environmental Research).

These choices that prioritized worker and public safety — coincidentally placed the site at a breathtaking vista, offering beautiful views of the ocean in one direction and of the island’s tropical landscape in the other.

While experimental, the BONUS site has always been safe and secure. There has never been a nuclear accident and regular testing over the site’s 60-year history has shown no environmental contamination.

A Dome with a View

A Community Connected to Nature, Surfing, and Sunsets at BONUS

Although access into the BONUS site is restricted, there is still plenty to see and do around the area.

BONUS sits just beyond the famous Domes Beach, popular among locals and tourists alike for its picturesque landscape and world-class surfing.

Another historic site, the Punta Higuera Lighthouse, sits just south of the BONUS facility. Also on the National Register of Historic Places, the lighthouse was first built in 1892 by the Spanish government and rebuilt in 1922 by the United States Coast Guard. While the lighthouse itself is closed to the public, since 1993, the lighthouse grounds have been open as a recreational park with a maritime museum, kiosks, and an observation deck that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.

The closest town to the BONUS site is the town of Rincón. Literally meaning “corner” in Spanish, one local resident said the following about the town:

“You don’t get here because you’re passing through. You only get here because you’re making a point to come.”

Indeed, those making their way to this tucked-away town on the western coast of Puerto Rico are in for great food, great beaches, and above all, great people.

“The people of Rincón are very friendly and always open their hearts to everyone else.” Carlos D. López Bonilla, Mayor of Rincón.

A Dome with a View

A Community Connected to Nature, Surfing, and Sunsets at BONUS

Although access into the BONUS site is restricted, there is still plenty to see and do around the area.

BONUS sits just beyond the famous Domes Beach, popular among locals and tourists alike for its picturesque landscape and world-class surfing.

Another historic site, the Punta Higuera Lighthouse, sits just south of the BONUS facility. Also on the National Register of Historic Places, the lighthouse was first built in 1892 by the Spanish government and rebuilt in 1922 by the United States Coast Guard. While the lighthouse itself is closed to the public, since 1993, the lighthouse grounds have been open as a recreational park with a maritime museum, kiosks, and an observation deck that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.

The closest town to the BONUS site is the town of Rincón. Literally meaning “corner” in Spanish, one local resident said the following about the town:

“You don’t get here because you’re passing through. You only get here because you’re making a point to come.”

Indeed, those making their way to this tucked-away town on the western coast of Puerto Rico are in for great food, great beaches, and above all, great people.

“The people of Rincón are very friendly and always open their hearts to everyone else.” Carlos D. López Bonilla, Mayor of Rincón.

virtual tours

Inside the Dome

virtual tours

Inside the Dome