The accident at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant on March 28, 1979 is one of those events that you remember where you were and what you were doing when it happened. Just like September 11 or the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7.

For those of us in the Harrisburg area, the fear and uncertainty brought about by this event was the most significant impact, not the release of any radiation into the environment.

The changes and improvements brought about by the accident were fundamental and sweeping in the way we approach nuclear safety and emergency management since then.

Every major natural and manmade emergency since Three Mile Island, including the events surrounding September 11 and the Quecreek Mine Rescue, benefited from the lessons learned during the accident at TMI.

Three Mile Island earned its own official historical marker from the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission on the 20^th anniversary of the accident in 1999. It says—

NUCLEAR ACCIDENT AT THREE MILE ISLAND: On March 28, 1979, and for several days thereafter – as a result of technical malfunctions and human error – Three Mile Island’s Unit 2 Nuclear Generating Station was the scene of the nation’s worst commercial nuclear accident. Radiation was released, a part of the nuclear core was damaged, and thousands of residents evacuated the area. Events here would cause basic changes throughout the world’s nuclear power industry.

For perspectives on the accident, we put together a series of links to comments by individuals who had prominent positions in state government during the events of 1979.

Also included is a link to the 20^th anniversary program on the accident that featured presentations by Dr. Harold Denton, formerly with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Dr. Robert Long who was manager of generation at TMI for its previous owner General Public Utilities, former Middletown Mayor Robert Reid, Dr. Clifford Jones who was Secretary of the Department of Environmental Resources at the time and several other speakers.

Please enjoy these links:

20^th Anniversary Program

Reactor?

By James M. Seif

Former Administrative Assistant to Gov. Thornburgh

and the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection

It’s a Biggie!

By Thomas M. Gerusky

Former Director, Bureau of Radiation Protection, DER

Historical Accounts & More Background

Three Mile Island Today

To learn more about Pennsylvania’s environmental history, visit the Pennsylvania Environmental Heritage webpage.

3/25/2005