Sol Burstein

Sol Burstein, 79, formerly of Fox Point, died Jan. 28 of congestive heart failure in Washington, D.C.

For many years, his name was synonymous with nuclear power in Wisconsin, earning both a national and international reputation on nuclear power issues. Even his critics praised his expertise, according to his family.

He moved to Milwaukee in 1962 from Boston to serve as a consultant to Wisconsin Electric in the development of a new design in power plants. In 1965, the firm hired him to head its power plant department. He became involved in the building and operation of the Point Beach nuclear power plant near Manitowoc, which began generating power in 1970. Many colleagues here considered him the pioneer of nuclear power.

He retired in 1987 as vice chairman and director of Wisconsin Energy Corp., the parent holding company of Wisconsin Electric Power Co. and Wisconsin Natural Gas Co. He continued to serve as an advisor to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, trying to solve its nuclear waste disposal problem.

Among his honors was election to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering, an organization of only several hundred members.

He grew up poor in Chelsea, Mass., and graduated from Northeastern University in 1944 with a degree in mechanical engineering. “He borrowed $100 from his brother to enroll in college and worked three jobs to pay his tuition. He walked dogs, was a chauffeur and shoveled coal to start the boiler in his building,” said his son, Paul Burstein.

He was a project leader for the old Atomic Energy Commission, where he was part of a team that developed an advanced design for a nuclear reactor. The design advanced the process of using nuclear reactors to heat water, turning it to steam to power turbines. He believed that breakthrough led to the process of recycling the steam, which made large nuclear plants possible.

His son added, “His motto was practice truth, fear nothing. And he did.”

Though he didn’t have much spare time, he enjoyed belonging to the ROMEOS (Retired Old Men Eating Out), a group of colleagues and friends. As his health began to fail, he moved from Fox Point to the Washington, D.C., area a year ago.

He is survived by son Paul (Dotty) Burstein of Winchester, Mass.; daughter Nadine (Jim) Hubbell of Berkeley, Calif.; companion Joy Taylor of Arlington, Va.; and two grandchildren.

Services were held Jan. 29 in the Washington, D.C., area.

The family suggested memorials to the Wisconsin Energy Employee Mutual Benefit Society Emergency Fund.