As feds set carbon rules, a renewed interest in nuclear power

Exelon Corporation Three Mile Island

The Three Mile Island power plant has a conspicuous place near the Pennsylvania Turnpike and in the history of the world's nuclear power industry.

Drive east over the Susquehanna River in Dauphin County and you'll see steam emanating from only two of TMI's four cooling towers. That's because one of its reactors partially melted down in 1979. It was the worst nuclear accident in United States history.

Unit 1 is still operational. It's run by Exelon Corporation.

Before we can go inside, company spokesman Ralph DeSantis takes us to a security checkpoint where we meet heavily armed guards. They check our names, social security numbers, and birthdates. We pass through a metal turnstile and reach more security. It looks a bit like an airport, with a metal detector, x-ray machine, and an explosive detector.

Once we make it through, DeSantis takes us to TMI's Unit 1 reactor.

"This is the reactor building," he says, pointing to a wall of concrete that's four feet thick. "Right on the other side of this wall is where the reactor is. That's where the chain reaction is occurring."

At full capacity, the plant generates enough electricity for 800,000 homes.

It's one of five nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania — together they account for about 35 percent of the state's electric generation. Only Illinois has more nuclear capacity.

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