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KATELYN: THIS IS WHERE SUPPORTERS OF THE PLANT GATHERED THIS AFTERNOON TO TALK ABO THE IMPACT THAT THE LOSS OF THE PLANT WILL HAVE ON THIS COMMUNITY. THE CHAIR OF THE LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SAYS THE PLANT PROVIDED ABOUT $40,000 A YEAR TO BENEFIT THINGS LIKE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND BOOKMOBILE SHE SAYS THE TOWNSHIP WILL TRY TO AVOID RAISING TAXES, BUT IT WILL TAKE SOME CREATIVITY. NOW, THOSE LIKE THE CLEAN JOBS FOR PENNSYLVANIA COALITION WHO HAVE BEEN FIGHTING TO SAVE THE PLANT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS ARE TURNING THEIR ATTENTION TO THE 4 OTHER NUCLEAR PLANTS ACROSS THE STATE. >> ALL THE TREND LINES SHOW US BECAUSE WE HAVE FLAWED ENERG MARKET IN PA, OUR NUCLEAR PLANTS THAT ARE PROFITABLE TODAY WON’T BE IN THE COMING YEARS >> FOR 20 YEARS WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY MAKING SURE WE HAD CLEAN AIR AND WE TOOK THAT INIATIVE BACK TO GROUND ZERO THAT’S A PROBLEM WHEN YOU CLOSE THESE KIND OF PLANTS DOWN, SO YOU CAN’T HAVE THAT HAPPEN WITHIN PA >> THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE PLANT SAYS ALL OF THE 650 WORKERS WHO CHOSE TO STAY WITH THE COMPANY WERE ABLE TO DO SO. THE PLANT HAS CUT ITS WORKFORCE BY ABOUT HALF DURING THIS BEGINNING PHASE OF T

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The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant has been shut down.Officials said operators took the reactor offline for the final time at noon Friday. Forty years ago, the partial meltdown at TMI was the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history.The plant has been in operation since 1974.Why did TMI close? TMI generated electricity and tried to sell its energy at at wholesale electricity auction, but no one bought it for years.An abundance of cheap natural gas is partially to blame.TMI's owner, Exelon Generation, also owns the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in southern York County, and that plant remains profitable. Exelon officials said Peach Bottom is closer to the Philadelphia and Baltimore markets, where energy prices are higher.Peach Bottom made a profit of $150 million last year, compared to TMI's net loss of $37 million.Decommissioning will take decadesAlthough TMI is no longer producing power, it will take decades to decommission the plant. Exelon provided the following approximate schedule:- 2019: Final shutdown; used fuel moves to the spent fuel pool- 2022: Fuel moves to dry cask storage- 2074: Large components, including cooling towers, will be dismantled- 2078: All radioactive material will be safely stored or removed from the siteThe decommissioning of TMI is expected to cost around $1.2 million.Staffing will be steadily reducedOfficials with Exelon said some employees will stay at the plant over the next few years to drain systems and remove fuel.Staffing will be reduced to 300 employees shortly after the used fuel is moved to the spent fuel pool.The workforce will decrease to 200 employees in 2021 and about 50 employees the following year, officials said.Chronicle: 40 years later - The Three Mile Island crisis