This photo of a briefing of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was taken on April 4, 1979, following the Three Mile Island accident. It was a challenging time for the NRC. Can you identify the individual facing the camera?
14 thoughts on “Throw Back Thursday — Name the Commissioner”
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Looks more like Roger Mattson to me on the right. Ed Case was taller than Darrell Eisenhut.
No – Harold was not “follicle-ly challenged”
Not Denton. Harold was not “folliclly challenged”
We believe those doing the briefing (with backs to the camera) were: Darrell Eisenhut, deputy of the Division of Operating Reactors, left, and Ed Case, deputy director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
Chairman Hendrie, of course
Nuclear industrie and nuclear regulatory bodies are learning constantly from these events. Sharing of operational experience is fundamental to achieve proper safety levels.
Could it be Harold Denton on the right facing Hendrie?
Don’t know the names but I do know that the industry’s defense in depth philosophy saved the day during the TMI accident. Half the reactor core melted. 20 tons of molten fuel drained to the bottom of the reactor vessel. But no China Syndrome! That reactor vessel held up. Also the containment structure around the Nuclear Steam Supply System allowed very little of the radioactivity to be released to the environment. If Chernobyl would have had a containment structure that accident would have been much less severe. Plus the industry and the NRC learned much from the accident and shared that knowledge worldwide. Nuclear power is much safer today than at any time in our history.
Anyone want to venture a guess at the identities of the two NRC officials (backs to the camera) who were doing the briefing?
Was it Joseph Hendrie?
Brent Nielsen
Yes! Dr. Joseph M. Hendrie was sworn in as Chairman of the NRC on August 9, 1977. He was named to a four-year term on the Commission and designated as its Chairman by President Carter. His full bio is here: http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/organization/commission/former-commissioners/hendrie-chairman.html
Joe Hendrie
Dr. Joe Hendrie
The gentleman facing the camera is former Chairman, Joseph Hendrie.