Netflix is set to release a four-part docuseries this week about the accident in 1979 at the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear facility near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The accident caused fear, stress, and confusion, made worse by misinformation—which is why it is important to know the facts.
The accident was caused by a combination of equipment failure and the inability of plant operators to understand the reactor’s condition at certain times during the event. A gradual loss of cooling water to the reactor’s heat-producing core led to partial melting and the release of a small amount of radioactive material.
Although it had no detectable health effects on plant workers or the public, this was the most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant operating history. It is important to note as you watch the drama unfold, that the United States’ nuclear industry has an undeniable track record of safety and is known for its standards of excellence, transparency, and demonstrated ability to improve.
The accident was taken seriously, and as you watch, it is important to remember that actions were taken by the regulator and the industry to implement solutions that correct the issues that contributed to the accident.
Here are the key facts.
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Scientists Found No Injuries, Deaths, or Health Effects at or Around the Plant.
No one at the nuclear facility was harmed in the accident, and more than a dozen epidemiological studies conducted by medical experts have concluded that the amount of radiation released into the atmosphere was too small to result in discernible direct health effects to the population in the vicinity of the plant. In fact, exposure to radiation during a chest x-ray is six times higher than the average amount of elevated radiation exposure around the plant.
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Three Mile Island Was Shut Down.
A clean-up plan was developed and carried out safely and successfully. Three Mile Island was decommissioned and today is in long-term monitored storage.
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The Industry Responded Swiftly and Effectively.
The aftermath of the accident brought about sweeping changes involving emergency response planning, reactor operator training, human factors engineering, radiation protection, and many other areas of nuclear power plant operations.
Two weeks after the accident, President Jimmy Carter appointed a 12-member commission to investigate what happened. The commission’s report recommended that the industry develop its own standards of excellence and cited a need for agency-accredited training institutions for nuclear plant operators.
Within nine months, the industry had formed the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), whose mission is to promote the highest levels of safety and reliability. To improve training, INPO in 1985 formed the National Academy for Nuclear Training, which reviews and accredits nuclear utilities’ training programs for all key plant positions.
INPO has had a profound impact on the way nuclear plants are managed and operated. The proof is the steady improvement in plant performance, safety and reliability in the more than 40 years since the accident at TMI. Today, the U.S. nuclear industry is performing at the highest levels of safety and reliability in the world. -
Nuclear Is One of the Safest Sources of Energy.
U.S. nuclear plants are among the safest and most secure industrial facilities in the country. The risk of accidents in today’s nuclear power plants is very low, and nuclear plants are held to several layers of oversight, the most notable being the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The safety of employees and communities in which plants operate is the top priority.
An analysis done by Our World In Data found that nuclear energy and renewables are “far far safer than fossil fuels,” and that “contrary to popular belief, nuclear power has saved lives by displacing fossil fuels.”
Nuclear energy, in terms of an overall safety record, is better than other energy.
Nuclear power today is the United States’ largest source of carbon-free electricity—the foundation for decarbonizing our economy. Nuclear energy produces carbon-free power 24/7/365, and paired with wind, solar and other renewable sources, will help us achieve a carbon-free future while continuing to provide clean air, reliable energy, high-paying jobs, and world-class safety standards.
