Archivist and Humanities Librarian
Coordinator of Archives and Special Collections
Coordinator of Archives and Special Collections
STEM Librarian
Penn State Harrisburg Library
351 Olmsted Dr.
Middletown, PA 17057
Introduction
Three Mile Island is a nuclear power facility located on an island in the Susquehanna River near Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. On March 28, 1979, equipment failure and human error led to a partial meltdown and release of radioactive gases, the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history. Unit 2, where the accident took place, has never reopened, but power continues to be generated in Unit 1. Although various studies have found no health effects among TMI employees or the surrounding communities, events at TMI have led to improvements in the training of reactor operators and emergency responders, as well as increased regulation of the nuclear power industry. This guide provides links to information sources on the history and current status of Three Mile Island from industry, health, social, and other perspectives.
Recommended Books
TMI 25 Years Later by Call Number: TK1345.H37O85 2004ISBN: 027102383XPublication Date: 2004A one-stop resource for a new generation of citizens, students, and policy makers. Presents a balanced and factual account of the accident, the cleanup effort, and the many facets of its legacy.
Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective by Call Number: TK1345.H37W35 2004ISBN: 0520239407Publication Date: 2004The first comprehensive account of the causes, context, and consequences of the Three Mile Island crisis. Captures the human drama surrounding the accident, sets it in the context of the heated debate over nuclear power in the seventies, and analyzes the social, technical, and political issues it raised.
The Warning: Accident at Three Mile Island by Call Number: TK1345.H37G7 2003ISBN: 0393324699Publication Date: 2003Originally published in 1982, this factual, riveting thriller was the first account of the accident based on exclusive interviews with key operating personnel.
Recommended Websites
- Backgrounder on the Three Mile Island Accident, by the Nuclear Regulatory CommissionIncludes a glossary, an animated diagram, and other educational features.
- ECHO: Three Mile Island, by the Center for History and New Media, George Mason UniversityA research effort to collect individual memories of the TMI accident. In addition to a summary of results, users can read the responses of dozens of people from the Middletown area.
- Facility Locator, by the Nuclear Regulatory CommissionA directory of all the nuclear reactors and fuel facilities in the United States. The record for TMI Unit 1 includes current status reports, inspection results, contact information, etc.
- Nuclear Reaction: Why Do Americans Fear Nuclear Power?Companion web site to a 1995 documentary film from the “Frontline” series. Includes interviews, charts, and other educational resources.
- Three Mile Island, by Dickinson CollegeVirtual museum of documents, photographs, and other primary sources.
- Three Mile Island: The Inside Story, by the Smithsonian InstitutionOnline exhibit including maps, photographs, and other visual resources.