Why TMI Alert Opposed TMI Unit 1 Relicensing

Cleanup postponed, jobs decline, waste increases 

(Harrisburg, Pa.: October 22, 2009) - The Nuclear Regulatory 

Commission’s approval of a license extension at Three Mile Island (“TMI”) Unit-1 

further delays the decontamination and decommissioning of Three Mile Island 

Unit-2 the site of a core meltdown in March 1979. 

Eric Epstein, Chairman of TMI-Alert, stated, “At this rate, TMI-2 won’t be 

cleaned up until the next century. Relicensing adds another 600 metric tons of 

radioactive waste on the Island in addition to the 1,000 metric tons of toxic 

garbage Unit-1 has generated since 1974.” TMI also stores low-level radioactive 

waste on site since Barnwell’s closing in 2008. 

Mr. Epstein added, “TMI continues to reduce staffing and has slashed 284 

jobs over the last ten years. I just hope we have enough money and trained staff 

in place in 2034 to clean up TMI-1, TMI-2, and 1,600 tons of radioactive waste.” 

Year           Exelon     +           Contractor  = Total Number of Employees 

• 1998:                                                                                             804 

Source: GPU Nuclear. 

• 1999:                                                                                             704 

Source: AmerGen. 

• 2000:          579                           65                                         644 

Source: AmerGen. 

• 2001:             517                                  81                                        598-618 

 Source: AmerGen. 

• 2002:           532- 540                    103                                      643  

 Source: AmerGen. 

• 2003:                                                                                             550 

Source: AmerGen. 

• 2005:          620                

            Source: Press & Journal,  September, 2005. 

• 2006:  520 

Source: According to the "Top 50" list the Patriot News published  on July 2, 2006, 

Exelon's  staffing numbers were listed at 520. 

• 2008:  525 

Source: US NRC GEIS. (p. 2-49) The NRC also stated that no new employees 

would be added as a result of the license extension. (p 4-19)

Three Mile Island Alert, Inc., (tmia.com), a safe-energy organization based in 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and founded in 1977. TMIA monitors Peach Bottom, 

Susquehanna, and Three Mile Island nuclear generating stations.   

To read Exelon's official press release on the relicensing, open pdf: