Washington Post
October 18, 2001

HARRISBURG, Pa. –– The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant received a “credible threat” on Wednesday, prompting officials to shut down two nearby airports and dispatch military aircraft to protect the facility.

The plant was placed on a high state of alert as the FBI, state police and military planes scrambled to protect the facility.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokeswoman Diane Screnci declined to discuss the type of threat, or how the agency received it. The commission told Three Mile Island about the threat between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., and the airports were shut down about 9 p.m., she said.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown said a “temporary flight restriction” extended to a 20-mile radius around the Harrisburg airport after the threat.

Three Mile Island is located just outside Harrisburg, which is 35 miles northwest of Lancaster.

Ralph DeSantis, a spokesman for Three Mile Island, confirmed the plant’s high state of alert, but also declined to discuss the type of threat or the additional security measures.