Three Mile Island: Accidental Doom

APUSH into the Past

On Wednesday March 28, 1979 at approximately 4:00 AM the chain of events that would cause the partial meltdown of one of Three Mile Island's nuclear reactors unfolded. At the time Three Mile Island was managed by the Metropolitan Edison Power Company and the Vice President being Jack Herbein. At Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Dauphin County, PA the secondary cooling system on unit 2 malfunctioned. This caused the temperature in the primary coolant to rise. A series of valve malfunctions lead operators to believe that the coolant water was full, so they stopped pumping replacement water. Because a valve was stuck open water was boiling away and exposed the fuel core raising its temperature. The fuel rods became damaged and released radioactive material into the water. Following this there was a partial release of radioactive gases. There was a recommended voluntary evacuation of people within a five mile radius of the reactor which was later extended to a twenty mile radius. Following the accident there were protests to stop operations at Three Mile Island. Harry Blose was born on January 24th, 1960 in Harrisburg, PA. Harry was raised in Duncannon, PA and graduated from Susquenita High School in 1977. At the time of the Three Mile Island accident he was nineteen years old. He was living with his parents and siblings in a house along the Susquehanna River in Duncannon, PA about ten miles from Three Mile Island when the accident occurred. This event made him more conscious of alternative power sources and their possible effects.