CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The outdoor warning sirens around Catawba and McGuire nuclear stations will be tested multiple times during the weekdays between Sept. 18 and Sept. 29. This required testing is necessary to ensure sirens are operating optimally after completion of maintenance activities. During this time, individual sirens will be tested in short 20-second increments. These tests will occur between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
This testing is separate from quarterly testing. The next quarterly test will take place on Oct. 11, which will be a three-minute test of all sirens.
Although a siren might sound multiple times, this is part of the testing and no public action is needed. If unsure, members of the public can tune to local TV or radio to confirm. Because these are tests, local broadcasting stations will not interrupt regular programming to broadcast Emergency Alert System (EAS) messages. If there was ever a real emergency at the plant requiring the sirens to be sounded, local radio and television stations would broadcast information and instructions to the public.
Testing is performed in cooperation with emergency officials in Catawba, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg and York counties.
For more information about nuclear emergency preparedness and outdoor warning sirens, residents can visit Duke Energy.