TMI-1

Two former spokesmen for the nuclear plant say they're surprised Exelon waited more than 5 hours to announce a radiation leak.

By Jan Murphy 

The Three Mile Island nuclear station's former operators learned from the 1979 partial reactor meltdown that there's no such thing as overcommunication about TMI.

Two former spokesmen for GPU Nuclear Corp., which operated the facility after the 1979 accident, said that based on lessons learned from that incident, they subsequently alerted local officials about every minor event at the plant, such as when an ambulance was called or a steam release was loud.

They issued so many notifications that officials receiving them complained.

"The operation of a nuclear power plant is based on trust, and communication is an exercise in trust," said Douglas Bedell of Cornwall, who was a communication manager for GPU Nuclear.

Fallout focuses on Exelon’s decision to wait 5 hours before calling local and state officials.

EFMR downloaded data from its real-time gamma monitors around 

Three Mile Island on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009.

There were no unusual off-site readings for Saturday, Nov. 21 through 4 p.m.  

EFMR Monitoring, Inc. (efmr.org) is  a nonpartisan community based 

organization established in 1992. EFMR monitors radiation levels at 

Peach Bottom and Three Mile Island nuclear generating stations, 

invests in community development, and  sponsors remote robotics

research.  

Posted on Mon., Nov. 23, 2009

By Jan Hefler

Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer

Investigators with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission yesterday found that a minimal amount of radiation had leaked inside a reactor at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant Saturday afternoon but did not pose any health threats to the public.

However, some state and local officials, including Gov. Rendell, said they were upset that notifications were not made in a timely way to authorities.

Diane Screnci, NRC spokesperson, said that the leak had "no effect on public health or safety" because it was confined to a reactor building at the central Pennsylvania plant, about 10 miles south of Harrisburg. She also said about 20 of the 151 workers inside the building either inhaled radiation or touched contaminated surfaces, but said the amount was not harmful.

New sirens to include battery back-up power  

LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIP, PA  (Nov.19, 2009)

Exelon Nuclear will begin a project next week to 

replace all 96 emergency sirens in the 10 miles around Three Mile Island Generating Station with sirens that 

include battery back up.  The first phase of the project will have contractors visit and identify certain features 

of each existing siren.   

The initial phase of this project will take approximately 60 days.  Installation of the new sirens will begin in 

A watchdog group opposed the license renewal, citing radioactive waste and the costs of dealing with the damaged Unit 2, but decided against a challenge.

Friday, October 23, 2009

BY MONICA VON DOBENECK mdobeneck@patriot-news.com

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved Exelon Corp.'s request for a 20-year extension to Three Mile Island Unit 1's original operating license, which would have expired in 2014.

The renewal was expected. The nuclear power plant is in the process of replacing its steam generators and making other improvements. Its new license expires in 2034.

Three Mile Island Alert, a nuclear watchdog group, questioned the license renewal because of the radioactive waste that nuclear plants produce, the costs of removing fuel from the damaged Unit 2, the amount of water the plant uses and other factors.

Critic says generators should have been replaced years ago; spokesman for owner says plant was safe, relicensing sought.

Sunday News

Sep 06, 2009 

By JON RUTTER, Lancaster Sunday News Staff Writer

Three Mile Island is replacing its two steam generators two decades late, contends nuclear industry critic Eric Epstein.

Lots of people are waiting to glimpse the ponderous new machines.

The generators will be slowly piggybacked through the county this month on their way from Port Deposit, Md., to the atomic power plant at Middletown.

The NRC license renewal staff has evaluation the environmental impacts related to

re-licensing the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Unit 1 reactor and has concluded that 

the effects would be "small," overall but that the cumulative effect over time would be

 "small to moderate" as related to aquatic resources. The June 29, 2009 memo is reproduced

here and attached below are related documents. 

MEMORANDUM TO: Brian E. Holian, Director 

Division of License Renewal 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

FROM: Sarah Lopas, Project Manager /RA/ 

Reactor Projects Branch 1 

Division of License Renewal 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation