Investigation Continues into Radioactive Dust at TMI

A Three Mile Island official says teams are still trying to determine why an unexpected change in air flow stirred up radioactive dust during work at the nuclear power plant Saturday. Spokesman Ralph DeSantis says public safety was never endangered by the incident in which a dozen workers were exposed to radiation, The unit has been shut down since October 26 to refuel the reactor and replace steam generators. DeSantis says the radiation came from reactor cooling system pipes that were being cut by workers. He says a radiation monitor at an entrance to the building "temporarily went up slightly." But he says a later check detected no contamination outside.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Neil Sheehan says the investigation continues..."We do expect our radiation experts to be out there (today) if not later in the week."
DeSantis says workers are back on the job..."Most of the contamination that occurred inside the building has been cleaned up. Our workers have returned to work and we're doing the maintenance work on the building."