Introduction

Robert Del Tredici

On March 28, 1979, as the sun rose over Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a series of mechanical, electrical, and human failures led to what has been described as the worst nuclear power plant accident in the history of the United States. News of the accident rocked the nation, and its effects were keenly felt by those who lived in the shadow of the great concrete towers of Three Mile Island.

Coverage of the accident and its repercussions by the mainstream media was confusing at best. Unfamiliar with nuclear technology, and often openly afraid of it, few journalists managed to impart to the public a clear, coherent picture of the evolution of the crisis. Despite the best efforts of many experts to relate the true situation, most coverage has suffered from some form of bias, ranging from anti-nuclear paranoia to pro-nuclear propaganda. Facts, related by people with the time to gain a full understanding of their meaning, have been scarce. Many of us are still in the dark as to exactly how TMI happened, and why.

1978 Postcard, courtesy of Charles Ruggles

Since my early teen years, I've had a keen interest in nuclear technology, and became even more curious after hearing about the TMI crisis as a high school student in 1979. The technology, human factors, and political and economic pressures that brought about the accident seemed beyond understanding by any one person.

I am neither strongly pro-nuclear nor strongly anti-nuclear. I see the advantages as clearly as the disadvantages, the dangers as vividly as the benefits. From my position, sitting solidly on the fence between the two extremes, I see a more balanced picture. Over the years, while searching for information, I hit upon the idea of sharing that balanced view, in the form of a clear, detailed description of the crisis, uncolored by any biases, and undistorted by the misunderstandings of non-technical journalists.

Research for a software project in the mid 1980's brought me into contact with most of the factual information, and gave me a more refined undetstanding of the underlying technology. Armed with this, my curiosity, and a strong background in physical science, I set out to make myself an expert on the subject, in the hope of gaining the knowledge to write the aforementioned description.

Report of the Presidential Commission

This narrative is the result of that effort. Based on interviews, extensive research, and review of the testimony of those involved, this web site will attempt to fill in the missing details. What you are about to read is a complete account of what took place inside the walls of TMI on that tense spring evening in 1979.

Note: As of May 2008, this site is undergoing a bit of renovation. The look of the site will change only slightly, but all content is being reviewed for accuracy and completeness. I will be adding more photographs and graphics along the way. As trite as the phrase is, please do pardon our dust as we continue to keep the site up to date. Thanks! --Scott Johnson