In 1979, a significant nuclear accident occurred at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania.
It began with a mechanical failure. A non-nuclear section malfunctioned. This triggered a loss of coolant to the reactor core.
Operators received false readings. They misdiagnosed the situation. An emergency coolant pump was shut down.
The reactor overheated. Core temperatures rose beyond safe limits. Fuel rods began to degrade.
Hydrogen gas built up in the reactor. A partial meltdown occurred.
Containment systems functioned effectively. However, some radioactive gas escaped.
No immediate health effects were reported. But the event raised safety concerns.
It led to regulatory changes in nuclear power operations. The accident was categorized at Level 5 on the INES scale.