| Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station | |
|---|---|
 The Three Mile Island NPP on
Three Mile Island, circa 1979
|
|
| Data | |
| Location | Londonderry Township, PA |
| Coordinates | 40°09′14″N 76°43′29″W / 40.153889°N 76.724722°WCoordinates: 40°09′14″N 76°43′29″W / 40.153889°N 76.724722°W |
| Operator | Exelon Nuclear |
| Built | 1968–1970 |
| Start of commercial operation | September 2, 1974 |
| Reactors | |
| Reactor supplier | Babcock & Wilcox |
| Reactor type | PWR |
| Power | |
| Capacity | 802 MW |
| Total power generation in 2007 | 6,645 GW·h |
| Average annual generation (last 5 yrs) | 6,819 GW·h |
| Status | Operating |
| Other details | |
| Architect |
Unit 1: Gilbert Associates Unit 2: Burns & Roe |
| Constructors | United Engineers and Constructors |
| License expires | April 19, 2034 |
| NRC region | 1 |
|
Website www.threemileislandinfo.com |
|
Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station (TMI) is a civilian nuclear power plant located on Three Mile Island in the Susquehanna River, in Londonderry Township, Dauphin County, south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States.[1] It has two separate generators, known as TMI-1 and TMI-2. The plant is best known for having been the site of the worst civilian nuclear accident in United States history on March 29, 1979, when TMI-2 suffered a partial meltdown. According to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the accident resulted in no deaths or injuries to plant workers or members of nearby communities.[2] The reactor core of TMI-2 has since been removed from the site, but the site has not been decommissioned.[3]
Three Mile Island is so named because it is located three miles downriver from Middletown, Pennsylvania. The plant was originally built by General Public Utilities Corporation, later renamed GPU Incorporated.[4 ] The plant was operated by Metropolitan Edison Company (Met-Ed), a subsidiary of the GPU Energy division. During 2001 GPU Inc. merged with FirstEnergy Corporation, through the selling of its outstanding common stock. [5]
Contents |
The Three Mile Island Unit 1 is a pressurized water reactor designed by Babcock and Wilcox (B&W) with a net generating capacity of 802 MWe. The initial construction cost was US$400 million. Unit 1 first came online on April 19, 1974, and began commercial operations on September 2, 1974.[6] TMI-1 is licensed to operate for 40 years from its first run, and in 2009, was extended 20 years, which means it may operate until April 19, 2034.[7][8] When TMI-2 suffered its accident in 1979, TMI-1 was offline for refueling. It was brought back online in October 1985, after public opposition, several federal court injunctions, and some technical and regulatory complications.[9]
On November 21, 2009, a radiation leak occurred inside the containment building of TMI-1 while workers were cutting pipes. Exelon Corporation stated to the public that "A monitor at the temporary opening cut into the containment building wall to allow the new steam generators to be moved inside showed a slight increase in a reading and then returned to normal. Approximately 20 employees were treated for mild radiation exposure."[10] As of November 22, 2009, it is believed that no radiation escaped the containment building and the public is not in any danger. The plant is currently shut down and the incident is under investigation.[11]
The Three Mile Island Unit 2 was also a pressurized water reactor constructed by B&W, similar to Unit 1. The only difference was that TMI-2 was slightly larger with a net generating capacity of 906 MWe, compared to TMI-1, which delivers 802 MWe. Unit 2 received its operating license on February 8, 1978, and began commercial operation on December 30, 1978.[12]
On March 29, 1979, there was a cooling system malfunction that caused a partial melt-down of the reactor core. This loss of coolant accident resulted in the release of a significant amount of radioactivity, estimated at 43,000 curies (1.59 PBq) of radioactive krypton gas, but less than 20 curies (740 GBq) of the especially hazardous iodine-131, into the surrounding environment.[2]
The nuclear power industry claims that there were no deaths, injuries or adverse health effects from the accident,[13] but a peer-reviewed study by Steven Wing of the University of North Carolina found that lung cancer and leukemia rates were 2 to 10 times higher downwind of TMI than upwind, and also showed that there was plant and animal chromosomal damage, but without considering the effects of stress or improved screening.[14] In addition, the Radiation and Public Health Project reported a spike in infant mortality in the downwind communities two years after the accident.[15][16]
The incident was widely publicized nationally and internationally, and had far-reaching effects on public opinion, particularly in the United States. The China Syndrome, a movie about a nuclear meltdown, which was released just 12 days before the disaster, became a blockbuster hit.[17]
Following the accident, the plant was transferred under the ownership and operation of a new subsidiary company, GPU Nuclear (GPUN), in a bid to disassociate itself from itself. [18] GPUN continued to operate TMI-1 until its 1999 sale to AmerGen Energy Corporation, a joint venture of Philadelphia Electric Company Energy, Inc. (PECO Energy) and British Energy Group Plc.[19 ]
Exelon Corporation was created in October 2000 by the merger of PECO Energy Company and Unicom, of Philadelphia and Chicago respectively.[20 ] Unicom owned Commonwealth Edison. The PECO share in AmerGen was acquired by Exelon during late 2000. Exelon acquired British Energy's share in AmerGen in 2003, [21] and transferred the plant under the direct ownership and operation of its Exelon Nuclear business unit. [22] [23]
| Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station | |
|---|---|
|
The Three Mile Island NPP on Three Mile Island, circa 1979 | |
| Data | |
| Location | Londonderry Township, PA |
| Coordinates | 40°09′14″N 76°43′29″W / 40.153889°N 76.724722°WCoordinates: 40°09′14″N 76°43′29″W / 40.153889°N 76.724722°W |
| Operator | Exelon Nuclear |
| Built | 1968–1970 |
| Start of commercial operation | September 2, 1974 |
| Reactors | |
| Reactor supplier | Babcock & Wilcox |
| Reactor type | PWR |
| Power | |
| Capacity | 802 MWe |
| Total power generation in 2007 | 6,645 GW·h |
| Average annual generation (last 5 yrs) | 6,819 GW·h |
| Status | Operating |
| Other details | |
| Architect |
Unit 1: Gilbert Associates Unit 2: Burns & Roe |
| Constructors | United Engineers and Constructors |
| License expires | April 19, 2034 |
| NRC region | 1 |
|
Website | |
Three Mile Island is so named because it is located three miles downriver from Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The plant was originally built by General Public Utilities Corporation, later renamed GPU Incorporated.[4] The plant was operated by Metropolitan Edison Company (Met-Ed), a subsidiary of the GPU Energy division. During 2001 GPU Inc. merged with FirstEnergy Corporation, through the selling of its outstanding common stock.[5]
Contents |
The Three Mile Island Unit 1 is a pressurized water reactor designed by Babcock and Wilcox with a net generating capacity of 802 MWe. The initial construction cost was 400 million US$, equal to $1,764,658,091 today. Unit 1 first came online on April 19, 1974, and began commercial operations on September 2, 1974.[6] TMI-1 is licensed to operate for 40 years from its first run, and in 2009, was extended 20 years, which means it may operate until April 19, 2034.[7][8] When TMI-2 suffered its accident in 1979, TMI-1 was offline for refueling. It was brought back online in October 1985, after public opposition, several federal court injunctions, and some technical and regulatory complications.[9]
On November 21, 2009, a radiation leak occurred inside the containment building of TMI-1 while workers were cutting pipes. Exelon Corporation stated to the public that "A monitor at the temporary opening cut into the containment building wall to allow the new steam generators to be moved inside showed a slight increase in a reading and then returned to normal. Approximately 20 employees were treated for mild radiation exposure."[10] As of November 22, 2009[update], it is believed that no radiation escaped the containment building and the public is not in any danger. The inside airborne contamination was caused by a change in air pressure inside the containment building that dislodged small irradiated particles in the reactor piping system. Some of the small particles became airborne inside the building and were detected by an array of monitors in place to detect such material. The air pressure change occurred when inside building ventilation fans were started to support outage activities. The site has modified the ventilation system to prevent future air pressure changes. Work continued on the project the following day. On January 24, 2010, TMI-1 was brought back online.[11]
The Three Mile Island Unit 2 was also a pressurized water reactor constructed by B&W, similar to Unit 1. The only difference was that TMI-2 was slightly larger with a net generating capacity of 906 MWe, compared to TMI-1, which delivers 802 MWe. Unit 2 received its operating license on February 8, 1978, and began commercial operation on December 30, 1978.[12]
On March 28, 1979, there was a cooling system malfunction that caused a partial melt-down of the reactor core. This loss of coolant accident resulted in the release of a significant amount of radioactivity, estimated at 43,000 curies (1.59 PBq) of radioactive krypton gas, but less than 20 curies (740 GBq) of the especially hazardous iodine-131, into the surrounding environment.[2]
The nuclear power industry claims that there were no deaths, injuries or adverse health effects from the accident,[13] and a report by Columbia University epidemiologist Maureen Hatch agrees with this finding.[14] Another study by Steven Wing of the University of North Carolina found that lung cancer and leukemia rates were 2 to 10 times higher downwind of TMI than upwind.[15] The Radiation and Public Health Project reported a spike in infant mortality in the downwind communities two years after the accident.[16][17]
The incident was widely publicized nationally and internationally, and had far-reaching effects on public opinion, particularly in the United States. The China Syndrome, a movie about a nuclear meltdown, which was released just 12 days before the disaster, became a blockbuster hit.[18]
Following the accident, the plant was transferred under the ownership and operation of a new subsidiary company, GPU Nuclear (GPUN).[19] GPUN continued to operate TMI-1 until its 1999 sale to AmerGen Energy Corporation, a joint venture of Philadelphia Electric Company Energy, Inc. (PECO Energy) and British Energy Group Plc.[20]
Exelon Corporation was created in October 2000 by the merger of PECO Energy Company and Unicom, of Philadelphia and Chicago respectively.[21] Unicom owned Commonwealth Edison. The PECO share in AmerGen was acquired by Exelon during late 2000. Exelon acquired British Energy's share in AmerGen in 2003,[22] and transferred the plant under the direct ownership and operation of its Exelon Nuclear business unit.[23][24]
On January 22, 2010 officials at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced the electrical generator from the damaged Unit 2 reactor at TMI will be used at Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant in New Hill, North Carolina. Preliminary work is under way to move the generator. It will be transported in two parts, weighing a combined 670 tons. TMI's Unit 2 reactor has been shut down since the partial meltdown in 1979.[25]
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