Radiation found outside TMI after incident
Dec 20 - McClatchy-Tribune
> Regional News - Sean Adkins York Daily Record, Pa.
>
> An Exelon Nuclear monitor located about a mile away from Three Mile
> Island in Dauphin County picked up trace amounts of radiation during
> the same week workers were exposed to contamination at the plant.
>
> Between Nov. 18 and Nov. 24, one of TMI's seven remote monitors
> detected an increase of 0.02 millirems, said Beth Archer, an Exelon
> spokeswoman. A millirem is a measure of radiation exposure.
>
> A second monitor recorded a statistically insignificant change in its
> reading, she said.
>
> A typical person receives about 360 millirems of radiation annually
> from natural sources, such as soil and rocks, cosmic rays, food and
> consumer products.
>
> The occupational radiation exposure limit for nuclear industry workers
> is 5,000 millirems per year, said Neil Sheehan, a U.S. Nuclear
> Regulatory Commission spokesman.
>
> "There was very trace amounts (of radiation), and that proves that
> there was no threat to public and safety as a result of the event,"
> Archer said.
>
> Wind carried the contamination from the plant's containment building
> through a hole in the side structure made by workers during the
> process of replacing TMI's steam generators, she said.
>
> About 4 p.m. Nov. 21, radiation monitors alarmed briefly inside the
> plant's containment building. Plant officials ordered roughly 150
> workers to evacuate the building.
>
> A vacuum that did not have the correct filter released contaminated
> dust into the building. The structure's air flow system picked up the
> particles, causing five to 12 workers to receive radiation doses of
> greater than 10 millirems.
>
> The plant's Unit 1 reactor has been shut down since Oct. 26 for
> refueling, maintenance and steam generator replacement.
>
> TMI has installed its two steam generators and sealed the opening in
> the containment building.
>
> The plant is expected to be back on line early next year, Archer said.
>
> [email protected]; 771-2047
>
> Regional News - Sean Adkins York Daily Record, Pa.
>
> An Exelon Nuclear monitor located about a mile away from Three Mile
> Island in Dauphin County picked up trace amounts of radiation during
> the same week workers were exposed to contamination at the plant.
>
> Between Nov. 18 and Nov. 24, one of TMI's seven remote monitors
> detected an increase of 0.02 millirems, said Beth Archer, an Exelon
> spokeswoman. A millirem is a measure of radiation exposure.
>
> A second monitor recorded a statistically insignificant change in its
> reading, she said.
>
> A typical person receives about 360 millirems of radiation annually
> from natural sources, such as soil and rocks, cosmic rays, food and
> consumer products.
>
> The occupational radiation exposure limit for nuclear industry workers
> is 5,000 millirems per year, said Neil Sheehan, a U.S. Nuclear
> Regulatory Commission spokesman.
>
> "There was very trace amounts (of radiation), and that proves that
> there was no threat to public and safety as a result of the event,"
> Archer said.
>
> Wind carried the contamination from the plant's containment building
> through a hole in the side structure made by workers during the
> process of replacing TMI's steam generators, she said.
>
> About 4 p.m. Nov. 21, radiation monitors alarmed briefly inside the
> plant's containment building. Plant officials ordered roughly 150
> workers to evacuate the building.
>
> A vacuum that did not have the correct filter released contaminated
> dust into the building. The structure's air flow system picked up the
> particles, causing five to 12 workers to receive radiation doses of
> greater than 10 millirems.
>
> The plant's Unit 1 reactor has been shut down since Oct. 26 for
> refueling, maintenance and steam generator replacement.
>
> TMI has installed its two steam generators and sealed the opening in
> the containment building.
>
> The plant is expected to be back on line early next year, Archer said.
>
> [email protected]; 771-2047
>