Three Mile Island’s Reactor overheats - This Day in History – Mar 28th

Back in 1979, Harrisburg, PA was the location of a very serious nuclear accident at Three Mile Island due to a reactor overheating.  However, the potential meltdown was averted, but it was determined that the staff was not adequately trained for emergencies.  Furthermore, there was no evacuation plan set for any emergencies in the area. 

According to history.com, “The Three Mile Island plant had begun operations just months earlier on December 28, 1978. Very shortly after operations began, problems arose. It was 3:58 a.m. on March 28 when a pump that directed steam to the plant's electric turbines stopped working, causing a water circulation pump to break down. Without the water, the temperature of the reactor rose dramatically and a relief valve opened to stop the pressure from building to dangerous levels. Unfortunately, the valve then would not close. The plant operators, with no experience in emergencies, made key errors. Another valve was opened to allow water from the nuclear system into a waste tank. But this water ruptured the tank and radioactive water flooded into the reactor. Even worse, an operator shut off the automatic core-cooling system. The result of all these events and mistakes was that radioactive steam poured out of the plant. Additionally, radioactive water had to be released into the Susquehanna River. However, area authorities were not notified of these events until nearly three hours later.” 

When the accident occurred at this site, it was downplayed and the radiation levels continued to increase.  Governor Dick Thornburgh ordered that all small children and pregnant women should be evacuated from the area.  However, the incident report indicated that the overheating was based on human error and faulty design.  

History.com acknowledged that, “In March 1984, the Metropolitan Edison Company pleaded guilty to knowingly using inaccurate test methods at the plant before the incident. The Three Mile Island accident also exposed the lack of an appropriate evacuation plan for the area.  In the years following this accident, there has been an ongoing controversy over whether the increased radiation released at Three Mile Island led to an increase of cancer and infant mortality in the surrounding areas.”

All History facts provided from the link below:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/acheson-lilienthal-report-released?catId=3