upon its release, the movie was criticized by the nuclear power industry, referring to the movie as "sheer fiction" and a "character assassination of an entire industry". twelve days after the movie was released, however, the three mile island accident occurred in dauphin county, pennsylvania. both the accident depicted in the movie and the real-world accident at three mile island involved loss of water through a relief valve, as well as the control room crew incorrectly reading water levels.