http://pahighways.com/features/threemileisland.html

ThreeMileIsland

LocationofThreeMileIslandinrelationtoHarrisburgandthestatecapitol.(PennDOT)

AerialpictureofThreeMileIsland.(USGS)

BeforeMarch28,1979,hardlyanyoneasidefromthoselivinginCentralPennsylvania,knewwhereThreeMileIslandwaslocated.However,afterthatdate,anyoneintheworldwithaccesstoaTV,aradio,oranewspapercouldtakeamapofPennsylvaniaandpointtoasandbarinthemiddleoftheSusquehannaRiver.TheTMI‐2reactorhadjustcomeonlineinDecember1978,andwasthesamedesignasthereactorsoftheShippingportNuclearPowerPlantnearBeaver.TheaccidentbeganintheearlymorningofMarch28,whenalittleafter4:00AM,pumpssupplyingwatertoTMI‐2'ssteamgeneratorstripped.Withnowater,therewouldbenosteam,andthereforetheplant'ssafetysystemkickedintoactionandshutdownthesteamturbineandthegeneratoritpowered.Thenuclearreactionsinthecorecontinueduntilthesystemdroppedthecontrolrodsintothecoretohaltthefissionprocess,whichisaprocesscalled"scramming."Evenwiththecontrolrodsinthecore,heatcontinuedtorisebecausedecayingradioactivematerialsleftfromthefissionprocesscontinuedtoheatthewater.Theaccidentfellintothelapsoffourmen:WilliamZewe,shiftsupervisorforTMI‐1andTMI‐2;FredScheimann,shiftforemanforTMI‐2;andtwocontrolroomoperators,EdwardFrederickandCraigFaust.EachmanhadbeentrainedbyMetropolitanEdisonandBabcock&WilcoxandlicensedbytheNRC.However,nothingintheirtraininghadpreparedthemforthisproblem.

Thefirstwordoftheaccidentcameat8:25AM,withareportfromWKBO‐AMinHarrisburg.UsingayellowCamerowithaCBradio,thestation'strafficreporterDave"CaptainDave"EdwardsrelayedinformationthatpoliceandfirefightersweremobilizinginMiddletown.Healsomentionedthattherewasnosteamemanatingfromtheplant'scoolingtowers.MikePintek,thenWKBO'snewsdirectorandwhowouldlatermoveontoKDKA‐AMinPittsburgh,calledtheplanttospeaktosomeoneinthepublicrelationsoffice.Thereceptionist,hurriedasshewas,insteadconnectedhimtothecontrolroomtoamanwhosaid,"Ican'ttalknow,we'vegotaproblem.CallReadingandtalktothem."Themandeniedthat"thereareanyfireengines,"andtoldPintektotelephoneMetEd,ownersoftheplant,inReading.Afterhemadethecall,Pintekwentontheairannouncing,"ThereisageneralemergencyatMetropolitanEdisonCompany'sThreeMileIslandnuclearpowerplant.Autilityspokesmansaysthereisaproblemwithafeed‐waterpump..."Pintekincludedinhisreportthecompany'sassurancethatthepublicwasinnodanger.TheAssociatedPressfileditsfirststoryat9:06AMtonewspapers,televisionstations,andradiostationsacrossthecountry.ThearticlementionedthatthePennsylvaniaStatePolicesaidageneralemergencyhadbeendeclared,"therewasnoradiationleak,andthatMetEdrequestedaStatePolicehelicopter"thatwillcarryamonitoringteam."Atthesametime,LieutenantGovernorWilliamScranton,III,focusedhisattentionontheisland,sinceheoversawthecommonwealth'semergencypreparednessfunctions.HefacedreportersinHarrisburgwithabriefopeningstatementsayingthattheMetropolitanEdisonCompanyinformedthestategovernmentthattherehadbeenanaccidentatThreeMileIsland,Unit2.Everythingisundercontrolandthereisandwasnodangertopublicheathandsafety.Thenhesaidtherewasasmallreleaseofradiationintotheenvironment,butthatallsafetyequipmentfunctionedproperly.MetEdhadbeenmonitoringtheairneartheplantsincetheincidentandnoincreaseofradiationhadbeendetected.Thecontrolroomwascrowdedwithoperatorsandsupervisorstryingtobringcontrol.Tryingtoestablishanaturalcirculationcooling,whichmeanssettingupaflowofwater,withoutthehelpofpumps,byheatingwaterinthecoreandcoolingitinthesteamgeneratorsfailed.Itfailedbecausethecoolantsystemwasnotfilledwithwaterandagasbubbleforminginthetopofthereactorblockedtheflowofwater.At11:38AM,operatorsbegantodecreasepressureinthereactorsystem.Thepressurizerblockvalvewasopenedandhighpressureinjectioncutsharply.Thisresultedagaininalossofcoolantandanuncoveringofthecore.Thedepressurizationattemptendedat3:08PM;however,theamountanddurationofcorebeinguncoveredremainsunknown.At12:45PM,thePennsylvaniaStatePoliceclosedPA441totrafficnearThreeMileIslandattherequestofthecommonwealth'sBureauofRadiationProtection.Anhourlater,theUSDepartmentofEnergyteambeganitsfirsthelicopterflighttomonitorradiationlevels.At1:50PM,anoisepenetratedtheTMI‐2controlroom.Thesoundwasthatofahydrogenexplosioninsidethecontainmentbuilding.Thenoiseatthetimewasdismissedatthetimeasaslammingofaventilationdamper.

Thecountryfirstheardoftheaccidentfromthemosttrustednewsmanoftheday:WalterCronkite.HeledofftheCBSEveningNewswith,"Itwasthefirststepinanuclearnightmare;asfarasweknowatthishour,noworsethanthat.ButagovernmentofficialsaidthatabreakdowninanatomicpowerplantinPennsylvaniatodayisprobablytheworstnuclearreactoraccidenttodate.Therewasnoapparentseriouscontaminationofworkers.But,anuclearsafetygroupsaidthatradiationinsidetheplantisateighttimesthedeadlylevel,sostrongthatafterpassingthroughathree‐footthickconcretewall,itcanbemeasuredamileaway."OnMarch30,GovernorThornburghconvenedameetingofhiscabinet,andaround11:40AMreceivedaphonecallfromtheNRCchairman.ThechairmanapologizedfortheNRCstafferrorinrecommendingevacuation.HeaddedafterhearingtheSecretaryofHealth'srecommendationthatpregnantwomenandchildrenunderagetwobeevacuated,"IfmywifewerepregnantandIhadsmallchildreninthearea,Iwouldgetthemoutbecausewedon'tknowwhatisgoingtohappen."Afterthecall,ThornburghdecidedtorecommendthatpregnantwomenandpreschoolchildreninafivemileradiusofThreeMileIslandleaveandtocloseallschoolswithinthatarea.Heissuestheadvisoryshortlyafter12:30PM.Thornburghwasconsciousthroughouttheaccidentthatanevacuationmightbenecessary,andthisweigheduponhim.Heknewtherisksinanevacuation,suchasthemovementofelderlypersons,peopleinintensivecareunits,babiesinincubators,trafficonthehighways,wouldallexertatollinlivesandinjuries.Moreover,thistypeofevacuationhadneverbeencarriedoutbeforeonthefaceoftheEarth.Whenyoutalkaboutevacuatingpeoplewithina5‐mileradiusofanuclearreactor,youmustalsorecognizethatitwillaffectpeopleina10,20,even100mileradius.Friday,Saturday,andSundaywerehecticdaysintheemergencypreparednessofficesofthecountiesclosetoThreeMileIsland.Officialslaboredtodevelopa10‐mileevacuationplanandonescovering20milesoutfromtheplant.ThePennsylvaniaEmergencyManagementAgencyrecommendedFridaymorningthat10‐mileplansbeprepared.Thethreecountiesnearesttotheplantalreadyhadplanstoevacuatetheirresidents,whichcametoatotalofabout25,000.LateFridaynight,PEMAtoldcountyofficialstodrawupa20‐mileevacuationplan.Suddenlythenumberofcountiesinvolveddoubledandthenumberofpeopleaffectedreached650,000whichincluded13hospitalsandaprison.By2:00PM,thehydrogensituationinthereactorsystembecameapparent.Abubbleestimatedat1,000cubicfeetofgases,wasindeedcomprisedofhydrogen.Thequestionnowarosewhethertherewasapotentialforahydrogenexplosion.Workingwithcalculationsthatindicatedthatthebubblecouldnotself‐igniteforfivetoeightdays,worksfocusedtheirimmediateattentiononfindingwaystoeliminatethebubble.GovernorThornburghwasbriefedthatthefueldamagewasextensiveandthebubbleposedacoolingproblem.Uponhearingthishereiteratedthatnoevacuationwasneeded,liftedhisadvisorythatpeoplelivingwithin10milesofThreeMileIslandstayindoors,butcontinuedhisrecommendationthatpregnantwomenandpreschoolchildrenremainmorethanfivemilesfromtheplant.Thebubblewassafelyevacuatedfromthereactorcorethefollowingdayandtheemergencyslowlywindingdown.

CentralPennsylvaniagotawelcomedboostofmoraleonApril1,whenPresidentJimmyCartervisitedtheplant.Atrainednuclearengineer,CarterknewthedangergoingtoHarrisburgposed.OnApril9,ThornburghliftedtheadvisoryheannouncedonMarch30,andthecrisiswasoverwithonlyapartialmeltdownofthereactor'score.Onlyacouplemonthsaftertheaccident,theNuclearRegulatoryCommissionorderedanindefiniteshutdownofTMI‐1untilassurancescouldbeprovidedbyGeneralPublicUtilities/MetropolitanEdisonthattheplantcouldbeoperatedsafely.Theironicpartofthewholestorywasthatonlytwelvedayspriortothetroubleontheisland,thepublicgottoseefirsthandanuclearpowerplantemergencyonthesilverscreen.TheChinaSyndromedebutedrightbefore,withsomedialogthatyouwouldn'tthinktwiceabout,butmakeyourskincrawlaftertheaccident.Firstman:"Idon'tknow.Theymighthavecomeclosetoexposingthecore."Secondman:"Ifthat'strue,thenwecameveryclosetotheChinaSyndrome.Thenumberofpeoplekilledwoulddependonwhichwaythewindwasblowing.RenderanareathesizeofPennsylvaniapermanentlyuninhabitable."Thestorydidnotendthere,butinsteadcontinuedthroughthe1980sand1990s.OnMarch25,1980,afterblamingplantdesignerBabcock&Wilcox,GPU/MetEdsuedthemfor$500million.GPU/MetEdalsotriedtosue,unsuccessfully,theNRCfor$4billionfornegligencethatcontributedtotheaccident.OnJuly23,1980,thefirsthumanentryintotheTMI‐2containmentbuildingoccurredsincetheaccident.OnJuly21,1982,thepublicgotthefirstlookatthecoreviaaminiatureTVcamera.BobLong,SupervisingEngineerrecallsseeingthevideotapeofthecameragoingthroughthetopofthecore,andhearingthemechanicwhoisloweringitsaying,"Onefoot,twofoot,we'renowtwofeetintothecore,we'renowapproachingthreefeet...Fivefoot.Gotsomething."Hesaid,"Andthatrecognitionforthefirsttime,fivefeetofthecorewasgone.That'swhenwereallysawthatthecorehadbeenseverelydamaged."Laterthatyear,onNovember1,1982,theBabcock&Wilcoxtrialbegan.OnJanuary24,1983,GPU/MetEdandBabcock&Wilcoxsettledout‐of‐court.TheNRCCommissionersvotedonMay29,1985,bya4‐1margin,torestarttheidleTMI‐1reactor.InOctober1985,theremovalofthedamagedfuelfromtheTMI‐2reactorbegan,whichoverthecourseofeightyears,wouldproducefourseriousaccidentsinvolvingworkersandonein1989madeGPUissueatemporaryshutdownofthecleanup.TheNRC"suggested"thedefuelingmaybehalted.RobotscreatedbyRedZoneRoboticsofWestHomestead,enteredthecoretodothework.Thedefuelingworkforcewouldpeakat2,000in1986,withthefirstshipmentofdamagedfuelbeingshippedtotheIdahoNationalEngineeringLabinIdahoFalls,Idaho.Icanstillremembernewsreportsofthefirstshipmentscomingthroughmyarea,andthecontroversyandworrytheycaused.InDecember1993,GPUplacedTMI‐2inPost‐DefuelingMonitoredStorage,whichinlaymen's

termsmeansitisshutdownandwillneverberestarted.ThesamefatemayhappentoTMI‐1in2014whentheplantlicenseexpires.ThreeMileIslandhasremainedinapartofpopculture.In1997,itwasmentionedinthemovieMeninBlacktowardstheendwhenthealienswereescapingEarth.Inthemovie,itwassupposedtobeanalienshipandtheaccidentacover‐uptothemlanding.TommyLeeJones'characterasksRipTorn'scharacterabouteveryinterstellarvehiclewithina100mileradiusofNewYorkCity,"Allright,there'sThreeMileIsland,"towhichTornsays"Gone."In1999,yearsaftertheaccident,MikeGray,authorofTheChinaSyndromescreenplayandobserveroftheunfoldingeventsinspring1979,describesthehorrorhefeltattheideaofacompletemeltdown:"[W]ewouldnownolongerbeabletodrivethroughtheCityofHarrisburg.ThePennsylvaniaTurnpikewouldhavetogonorththroughScranton.And...withinahundred‐mileradiusoftheplantyouhavePhiladelphia,Baltimore,Washington,DC....[We]werethatclosetoadisasterofalmostunimaginableproportions."InaninterviewforPBS'AmericanExperience,hedescribed"thechinasyndrome."Heexplainedthat,"Thecorecouldhaveturnedintoamoltenwhite‐hotmass,couldhavegonethroughtheconcretebaseoftheplantandintogroundwaterwhichisimmediatelybelowthefoundationoftheplant,couldhavefracturedtheearthinstantlyinalldirectionsandgeysersofradioactivesteamwouldhavespouted,intotheair,throughtheparkinglotsandacloudofdeathwouldhavewaftednorthovertheCityofHarrisburg."RogerMattson,NRCSeniorEngineeratthetime,saidoftheaccident,"WehadameltdownatThreeMileIsland.ItwasnottheChinaSyndrome,butwemeltedthecoredown.Fiftypercentofthecorewasdestroyedormoltenandsomethingontheorderof20tonsofuraniumfounditsway,byflowinginamoltenstate,tothebottomheadofthepressurevessel.That'sacoremelt‐down.Noquestionaboutit."ThatsameyearTMI‐1cameunderthecontrolofanewcompany:AmerGenwhichatthetimewasajointventureofExelonCorporationbasedinChicago,IllinoisandBritishEnergy.InDecember2003,ExelonpurchasedAmerGenoutright.TMI‐2isstillownedbyGPU.Accidentsstillprevailattheisland.OnJuly2,2003,around11AM,afirebrokeoutinthetransformeryardnearTMI‐2.PennsylvaniaEmergencyManagementAgencysaidan"unusualevent"wasdeclared,whichisstandardoperatingprocedure.DaveSimon,companyspokesman,saidthatTMIfirefightersbeganfightingthefire,butwhentheyrealizeditwasnotbeingextinguished,theycalledlocalfiredepartmentstohelp.Therewasnothreattopublicsafety,andnoneedforanevacuationbecausethefirewasnotnearthenucleararea.ThreeMileIslandnowsitsasareminderofthestrengthsandweaknessesofnuclearpower.Whathappenedhereisbarelytalkedaboutnowandmorerelegatedtoapartofhistoryorlocalfolklore.ThecoolingtowersstandoverthesouthernPennsylvaniacountryside,onesetbelchingsteamthatlooksaspurewhiteascottonandseemstodance

playfullyabovethem.Theothersetoftowerstothesouthsitasempty,idleremindersofwhathappenedhereinlateMarch/earlyApril1979.WasFlight93TMIBound?CouldTMIhavebeenthetargetofUnitedAirlinesFlight93?Allevidencepointstoyes.SecurityofficialsrevealedwithinaweekoftheattacksinSeptember2001,thattheFederalBureauofInvestigationssentareporttoMI5,whicharetheirBritishcounterparts,thata"crediblesource"hadsaidthatterroristsmighthavebeenplanningtoattackanuclearpowerplantonthe11th.HadtheBoeing757crashedintothereactor,anincidentonthescaleofChernobyldisasterin1986wouldoccur.Sourceswithinthegovernmentsaythattheislandwasthesubjectofsurveillancebysomeofthehijackersandtheirassociatesinthemonthsbeforetheterroristsattacks.OnesecurityofficialsaidthatareportfromtheFBIthattheplanemayhavebeenheadingforanuclearpowerstation,becausePittsburghisnearseveral.ExpertflightpathanalysisshowsthattheplaneappearstobehijackedwhilepassingoverWestVirginia,madeaseriesofsharpturnsbeforegoingintoasteepdescent,andeventuallycrashinginShanksville.AviationexpertspointoutthattherewerethreepowerplantsbetweentheplaneandWashingtonanddirectlyintheflightpath:PeachBottom,HopeCreek,andThreeMileIsland.AlittleoveramonthaftertheattacksinNewYorkandWashington,theNuclearRegulatoryCommissionreceiveda"potentialterroristthreat"againsttheplantbetween6and7PMonOctober17,2001.Theplantactivateditsemergencyresponsefacilitiesasaprecaution,whileF‐16spatrolleda20‐mileradiusaroundtheplant.TheFederalAviationAdministrationorderedHarrisburgInternationalAirporttocancelflightssomewherebetween9:30PMand9:40PM,andLancasterCountyAirportwasalsoclosed.Therestrictionsbeganat9PMonOctober17,andendednear1AMonOctober18.Nospecificdetailsaboutthethreatorhowitwasreceivedwerereleased.TheplanthadbeenshutdownonOctober9forascheduledrefuelingandmaintenance;however,workcontinuedovernightandnoneoftheapproximately800workerswereevacuated.WhatismorechillingisthatstolenequipmentfromtheplantturneduponMonday,September9,onlytwodaysbeforethefirstanniversaryofthe9/11terroristattacksatthecrashsite.AmerGensaidtheitemsfoundinacooleratthesiteweretakenfromamonitoringstationnearthevisitorscenter.SpecialistssenttotheSomersetCountyboroughdidnotdiscoveranyradioactivematerial.Wantevenmorechilling?ThencheckoutthisaccountofwhatmighthaveoccurredifFlight93crashedintoThreeMileIsland:http://www.nirs.org/mononline/monitorcover1201.htm.Ironically,theplantisoneofthefewwherethecontainmentbuildingsofeachofthetworeactorswasdesignedtowithstandtheimpactofamediumtolargeaircraft.ThiswasduetothefactthattheislandliesinorclosetotheflightpathtoHarrisburgInternationalAirport.

YearsbeforeSeptember11,terrorismseemedtobeattheforefrontofTMIofficials'minds.OnFebruary7,1993,31‐year‐oldPierceNyedrovehismother's1984Plymouthstationwagonintotheguardedentrancetotheisland,crashedthroughtheprotectedareafenceandthenintoaroll‐updoor.Thevehiclecametoastop63feetinsidetheturbinebuilding.Onceinside,heleftthecar,descendedaladder,andhidinadarkareaofthecondenserpit.Itwassodarkthatguardheldoffperformingasearchuntilbrighterflashlightscouldbefound.Theplantcontinuedtooperateatfullpower,whileworkersmonitoredgaugesandalarmsforanysignsofsabotage.Guardstookdefensivepositionstoprotectvulnerableequipmentandhidwheretheycouldseestrategicportionsoftheturbinebuilding.Allaccessdoorswerelockedbycomputer.Fourhourslater,themanwasfoundcurledupinafetalposition,unawareofhissurroundings.Hewasarrestedandchargedwithfourfeloniesincludingriskingacatastrophe.Hewashospitalizedforpsychiatricobservation,andtheplantdidnotreceiveanydamagethatwouldthreatenpublicsafety.Howaboutaterroristtrainingcamponly30milesfromtheinfamousisland?Notonlythat,butthesameterroristswhobombedtheWorldTradeCenterin1993trainedthere.TheFBIhadbeenawarethatthe"LiberationArmyFifthBattalion"hadbeenatthecampinPerryCounty,nearNewBloomfield,onemonthpriortotheattackonFebruary26.SomereportshavesaidtheyknewasearlyasNovember1992.KelvinSmith,aself‐describedSunniMuslim,taughtmartialartsandsurvivalskillstopeoplewhorentedhiscampgrounds.OnthesameweekendofFebruary7,terroristswereobservedbylawofficersperforminganighttimemockassaultonalocalsubstation.TheFBIraidedthecampgroundonJune27,justtwodaysaftertheplottobombtargetssuchastunnelsandbridgesinNewYorkCitywasfoiled.