The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) plans to hold a biennial radiological emergency preparedness exercise at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania during the week of April 27.
The exercise will assess Maryland and Pennsylvania’s ability to respond to an emergency that occurs at a nuclear facility. The exercise is part of FEMA’s Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program. The program informs and educates the public about radiological emergency preparedness, and ensures the health and safety of citizens living around commercial nuclear power plants would be adequately protected in the event of a nuclear power plant accident.
The program covers state and local government emergency planning and preparedness activities that take place beyond the nuclear power plant boundaries. Activities taking place onsite are the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) responsibility.
“These drills are held every other year to evaluate the government’s ability to protect public health and safety,” Lilian Hutchinson, FEMA Region 3 acting regional administrator, said. “We will assess state and local government emergency response capabilities within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone within the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the state of Maryland.”
FEMA will send its evaluation to the NRC within 90 days for use in licensing decisions, and the final report will be available in approximately 120 days.