Emergency Preparedness
Emergency preparedness is a key component in ensuring the public's safety. While the event of an emergency is unlikely because of extensive safety equipment and barriers at the station, Three Mile Island works closely with local and state authorities to ensure the public is protected. TMI also understands the importance of well-trained emergency responders. TMI has an extensive internal emergency response organization and also coordinates emergency response with local first responders. TMI regularly assists in training these first responders as well as providing funding that supports plan and procedure development, equipment and facilities.
Three Mile Island employs a sophisticated emergency response plan to protect public health and safety, which has been approved by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The plan is evaluated annually. The plan includes coordination with local counties, municipalities and school districts to ensure the safe protection or evacuation of residents should it become necessary.
A minimum of three emergency drills are conducted at Three Mile Island each year to demonstrate the ability to execute the emergency plan. More than 100 Exelon Nuclear employees are on call seven days a week, 24 hours a day to support the plan. Every two years, a full-scale emergency exercise involving plant employees, state and local emergency management officials is conducted. The NRC evaluates the onsite response to the simulated emergency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) evaluates the response of the state and county agencies.
To ensure that the local community knows how to respond to an emergency, residents living in the 10-mile emergency planning zone (EPZ) around the plant are mailed an informational brochure on an annual basis telling them what to do and where to go in the event of an emergency. Click here to view the Emergency Planning brochure for the Three Mile Island area. The same information is also provided in every telephone book that covers the Emergency Planning Zone.
Also, an Emergency Warning System (including a siren and notification system) has been in service since 1982. The system is designed to provide emergency information and instructions to the public during any emergency within 10 miles around the plant, including natural disasters and other emergencies not related to Three Mile Island.