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Three Mile Island nuclear plant shuts down unexpectedly
US News ^ | September 20, 2012

Posted on 09/20/2012 5:36:47 PM PDT by JerseyanExile

A reactor at Three Mile Island, the site of the nation’s worst nuclear accident, shut down unexpectedly on Thursday afternoon when a coolant pump tripped and steam was released, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission told NBC News.

The system tripped when "the pump stopped operating and created a power/flow imbalance," said NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan.

The plant responded as designed and is stable with no impact on public health or safety, added NRC spokeswoman Diane Screnci.

If any radiation was in the released steam, Screnci said, it would be below detectable levels.

Exelon, the plant operator, said in a statement that "during the shutdown, steam was released into the atmosphere, creating a loud noise heard by nearby residents."

Plant operators were not yet sure what caused the problem.

"Once the reactor is sufficiently cooled down, plant personnel will be able to access the containment building and troubleshoot the problem," Sheehan added.

(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: nuclearpower; threemileisland
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To: HapaxLegamenon

Oops, guess I’m getting a little long in the tooth!


21 posted on 09/20/2012 6:14:55 PM PDT by Real Cynic No More
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To: JerseyanExile
In other words, it behaved just like a good little reactor was meant to behave.

Next . . .

22 posted on 09/20/2012 6:17:51 PM PDT by tomkat ( we used to HANG traitors)
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To: meatloaf

“If you’re near a PWR when the main steam relief valves lift, I guarantee you will be startled. You feel it through the ground too.”

That’s what the old hands told me!

“Experience is the best teacher, but if you can accept it second hand, the tuition is less.” Moishe Rosen


23 posted on 09/20/2012 6:30:58 PM PDT by BwanaNdege (Man has often lost his way, but modern man has lost his address - Gilbert K. Chesterton)
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To: JerseyanExile

“Give me feed-water, Barney”


24 posted on 09/20/2012 6:51:05 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (Taranto: "The whole point of the metaphor is that if you can hear the whistle, you're the dog.")
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To: JerseyanExile

The greatest harm resulting from the Three Mile Island accident was the psychic angst generated in the worrying class by overwrought press accounts. Remember that this event occured during the Cold War, when a great deal of effort was being devoted to advancing the principle that American nuclear energy in any form was evil while the Soviet Union’s atomic bombs were okey dokey.


25 posted on 09/20/2012 6:59:09 PM PDT by Elsiejay
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To: HapaxLegamenon

I would argue that SL-1 with three dead was the nation’s worst accident.


26 posted on 09/20/2012 7:41:13 PM PDT by class8601_nuke (don't just be critical, be prompt critical.)
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To: class8601_nuke

Interesting argument - SL-1 vs TMI-2. More dead from SL-1, greater economic loss from TMI-2. Certainly, TMI-2 had a greater impact on the nuclear industry than SL-1 (SL-1 accident lessons - know your shutdown margin and practice good reactivity management). The lessons from TMI-2 were much farther ranging.


27 posted on 09/20/2012 8:32:10 PM PDT by bagman
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To: Col Frank Slade
The Pepsi Syndrome


28 posted on 09/20/2012 8:36:27 PM PDT by dfwgator (I'm voting for Ryan and that other guy.)
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To: bagman
your reasoning is valid, but while TMI-2 may have had more impact on the industry, I always equate loss of human life as more disastrous. Also, lessons learned during clean up of SL-1 facilitated the clean up of TMI-2. All in all, the economic/industrial impacts are out weighed by the deaths (IMHO).
29 posted on 09/21/2012 7:06:34 AM PDT by class8601_nuke (don't just be critical, be prompt critical.)
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To: bagman

also, another major lesson learned from SL-1 is do not have the ability to (easily) physically man handle your control rods (don’t jerk a stuck rod out of the core) :)


30 posted on 09/21/2012 7:10:37 AM PDT by class8601_nuke (don't just be critical, be prompt critical.)
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To: dfwgator

Actually it was a large take out 7-UP


31 posted on 09/21/2012 7:22:03 AM PDT by shotgun
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To: JerseyanExile

Allah must be mad at me.

32 posted on 09/21/2012 7:27:28 AM PDT by McGruff (Support your local Republican candidates. They are our last line of defense.)
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To: PJBankard; Real Cynic No More

And even that’s not true.


33 posted on 09/21/2012 7:32:10 AM PDT by Erasmus (Zwischen des Teufels und des tiefen, blauen Meers)
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To: shotgun

Can’t be 7-UP, it’s an uncola.


34 posted on 09/21/2012 7:33:32 AM PDT by dfwgator (I'm voting for Ryan and that other guy.)
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