The accident at Three Mile Island was caused due to failures in the non-nuclear secondary system, which caused large amounts of nuclear reactor coolant to escape. It was only partial because only one of the reactors had a failure on the entire Three Mile Island Generator. For short, the reactor was called TML - 2.
Considered the most significant accident in the US nuclear power plant history, this incident formed worries in the minds of the general public and environmental activists. This also forced new safety regulations to be made concerning nuclear plants.
President Carter signed into law a stricter federal safety standards, including, mandatory emergency evacuation plans and harsher penalties for violations of federal safety standards. He also required plants to hire inspectors and set up a strict training program for them. As the budget increased, so did the inspectors.
Activists, mainly environmentalists and people who had been affected by similar incidents, attacked the TMI and its carelessness. They filed a suit in 1981 against the TMI, winning $25 million. They used this to create the TMI Public Health Fund.
Today, this plant still operates, but with better safety regulations and stricter policies. The second reactor lays unused since the accident, but the first reactor is still functional.
Great blog post! I really liked how you examined both the immediate events surrounding the accident, as well as the long term effects it had on the American public, as well as government policy. I found particularly interesting the increased regulations that were created after the accident, and I wonder if that could be one of the contributing factors for why we are so minimally reliant on nuclear power today, especially when compared to other countries (like France).
ReplyDeleteI really like how to looked into an event that had such a major impact on America's population. It was interesting to learn about what happened as follow up actions, as well as the effects it had on people's health and especially their opinion on safety precautions surrounding nuclear plants. It also triggered further movements to preserve the environment and become more aware of the negative effects of nuclear warfare.
ReplyDeleteI like how you discussed one of the most significant environmental disasters witnessed in the entire history of the United States and explain closely how it impacted various groups of Americans and synthesized it with another related topic. You clearly possess a large amount of in-depth knowledge on this area of study and have allowed me to learn more about this unique blunder in American history. However, it is important to not e some of the specific acts associated with the disaster and how this event magnified the disappointment felt by Americans at home who possessed sentiments of defeat and humiliation that had been lingering and increasing since the start of the 1970s. That way, one can better contextualize the scenario as to how it appeared when it did. For further investigation, here is another insightful source: http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/three-mile-island-accident.aspx
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