VA-EAS.ORG

Virginia State Emergency Communications Committee

Early Warning Siren System Tests Set For North Anna Nuclear Power Station

Full-scale tests of the Early Warning Siren System (EWSS) surrounding the North Anna Nuclear Power Station are scheduled for approximately 11:10 am on these dates:

• Wednesday, February 17, 2010
• Wednesday, May 19, 2010
• Wednesday, August 18, 2010
• Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), Dominion Virginia Power, and the jurisdictions where the sirens are located will participate in the tests which commences at approximately 11:10 a.m.

Fifty-five (55) sirens are to be tested in a 10-mile radius around the nuclear power facility including 28 in Louisa County, and 25 in Spotsylvania County. Hanover and Caroline counties each has one siren to be tested.

The siren system alerts the public to tune in to their local radio or television Emergency Alert System (EAS) station for information. A list of area EAS stations is located in the yellow pages of the phone directory in the affected areas, as well as in the annual North Anna Power Station Emergency Planning Information calendar mailed to every household in the same area. More information on Dominion Virginia Power's siren system is available here.

The complete text of the Virginia Radiological Emergency Response Plan is available here.

Full-scale siren tests consist of a single three-minute activation and are conducted quarterly -- on the third Wednesday of the month -- February, May, August and November.

The alerting system signifying an Actual emergency at the North Anna Power Station consists of four separate, three-minute activations, each separated by a one-minute silent interval. (Total elapsed time for Actual emergency notification is 15 minutes.)

The Early Warning Siren System alerts the public to tune to their local radio or television Emergency Alert System (EAS) for information to follow in the event of a real emergency.