PHOTOS: Forty-five years ago, Central Pennsylvania suffered a historic tragedy when one of the nuclear reactors at Three Mile Island experienced a partial meltdown.
The accident, which occurred at the Generating Station along the Susquehanna River on March 28, 1979, went down in history as the most serious nuclear power plant accident in United States history.
According to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, researchers were able to determine that the meltdown had "negligible effects on the physical health of individuals or the environment" — but that's not to say there weren't any lasting impacts. The accident prompted tighter regulations on nuclear power plant operations, as well as sparking fear in the hearts of those living in Central Pennsylvania and beyond.