Nuclear Power Plant Siren Systems

[Adam Pollak]

This is the "master" list of nuclear power plant warning systems in the U.S. It's primary purpose is to help those exploring around, such as when on road trips, to know what sirens they may come across in certain areas. If all the 64 active plants did not have ocean in their Emergency Planning Zones, the total area with sirens would be around 20,000 square miles.

Please feel free to post a reply with any information you have and I will add it to the list. My goal is to make this as informative as possible, while at the same time keeping it a quick and clean reference guide. I know many of us have lots more information, but a list this large could easily become quickly cluttered. I started Florida off myself, so please use that state as a general guide to follow. If there are closed stations with sirens still up, I'd be more than happy to add that to the list. Please save this topic for direct posting of system specs and leave general questions and commentary for different threads.

Depending on how this goes, I also plan on possibly creating a similar list for larger siren systems in the US.....but we'll wait on that for now.


Alabama

• Browns Ferry
  
  Farley

Arizona

• Palo Verde
  • Active System: Federal EOWS 1212s and EOWS 812s

Arkansas

• Arkansas Nuclear One

California

• Diablo Canyon
  • Active System: Federal Thunderbolts, STH-10s, 2001s, and Model 2s
  Rancho Seco (decommissioned)
  • Inactive System: American Signal P-10s and Federal Thunderbolts
  San Onofre
  • Active System: 51 Whelen Omnis
    Tested: Annually in mid-October: Two to Three Alert signals are sounded for three minuites between 10 AM and Noon
    Old System: 49 Toshiba Omnidrectionals (T-Bolt-like horns)

Connecticut

• Connecticut Yankee (decommissioned)
  • Inactive System (still up): Whelen 2000s
  Millstone
  • Active System: 125 Whelen 2000s and Whelen 2016s
    New System: 81 Whelen 2910s
    Tested: Monthly in 3-Minute Alert

Florida

• Crystal River
  • Active System: 54 Whelen 2805s and Whelen 2807s (dual locations during upgrade)
    Tested: Every Friday at Noon- One Wail Cycle
    Old System (removed): Sentry 10Vs and Sentry 10V2Ts
    Planning Guide: http://progress-energy.com/aboutenergy/ ... rBrowe.pdf
  St. Lucie
  • Active System: 90 Sirens: Whelen 4000s and Whelen 3016s
    Tested: First Thursday of March, June, September, and December at Noon
    Planning Guide: http://www.fpl.com/environment/nuclear/pdf/stlucie.pdf
  Turkey Point
  • Active System: 47 Sirens: Whelen 4000s and Whelen 3016s
    Tested: First Friday of March, June, September, and December at 1 pm in English and Spanish
    Planning Guide: http://www.fpl.com/environment/nuclear/ ... _point.pdf

Georgia

• Hatch
  • Active System: Utilizes a distributed Tone Alert Radio system; no outdoor sirens
  Vogtle

Illinois

• Braidwood
  • Active System: American Signal T-128s and T-135s
    Old System: Federal Thunderbolts and Federal STH10s
  Byron
  • Active System: American Signal T-132 AC/DC
    Old System: American Signal Banshees and P-10s
  Clinton
  
  Dresden
  • Active System: American Signal T-128s and T-135s
    Old System: Federal Thunderbolts and Federal STH10s
  LaSalle County
  
  Quad Cities

Iowa

• Arnold

Kansas

• Wolf Creek
  • Active System: Federal Thunderbolt 1003s
    Signals: 3-5 Min Steady Blast - Tornado/Wolf Creek Emergency
    3-5 Min Hi-Lo - Fire Dept.
    3-5 Min Attack - National Emergency

Louisiana

• River Bend
  
  Waterford

Maryland

• Calvert Cliff

Massachusetts

• Pilgrim

Michigan

• Cook
  
  Fermi
  
  Palisades

Minnesota

• Monticello
  
  Prairie Island

Mississippi

• Grand Gulf

Missouri

• Callaway

Nebraska

• Cooper
  
  Fort Calhoun

New Hampshire

• Seabrook
  • Active System: Whelen 2016s and 4008s

New Jersey

• Hope Creek
  • Active System: American Signal T-121s
    Old System: American Signal Cyclones, P-10s, P-15s, and Banshees
    Backup Sirens (VFDs): 2T22s, 3T22s, STH-10s, Model 5s
  Oyster Creek
  
  Salem Creek

New York

• Fitzpatrick
  
  Indian Point
  
  Nile Mile Point
  
  Ginna

North Carolina

• Brunswick (Jason)
  System: Whelen Omnidirectional sirens
  Old System: Single Tone Thunderbolt 1000's
  Tested: Varies, Once a year in the fall
  
  McGuire
  System: 2001's
  Old System: Thunderbolts
  Tested: Once a year in the fall
  
  Shearon-Harris
  System: 1987 vintage Single Tone Thunderbolt 1000's currently being replaced by Whelen 2900's. Old system will be fully operational until the fall of 2007 and will be superseded by the Whelens when approved. 87 total sirens.
  Tested: Once yearly in the fall
  Other: Some small town outside the 10 mile EPZ have CD sirens, unknown if they are used with the new sytem

Ohio

• Davis-Besse
  
  Perry

Oregon

• Trojan (decommissioned)
  • Old System (still up): Federal Thunderbolts, STH-10s, Model 2s
  • Pennsylvania
    
    • Beaver Valley
      • Active System: American Signal Allertors
      Limerick
      
      Peach Bottom
      • Active System: Federal Thunderbolts
        Tested: Monthly
      Susquehanna
      
      Three Mile Island
      • Active System: Federal 2001 SRN-Bs
        Old System (still up): 1982: American Signal Cyclones and Penetrator 10s
    South Carolina
    
    • Catawba
      
      H.B. Robinson
      
      Oconee
      
      Summer
    Tennessee
    
    • Sequoyah
      
      Watts Bar
    Texas
    
    • Comanche Peak
      • Active System: Thunderbeams (will later be i-Force)
      South Texas
    Vermont
    
    • Vermont Yankee
      • Active System: American Signal T-128s
        Old System: Federal Thunderbolt 1000s and STH-10s
    Virginia
    
    • North Anna
      
      Surry
      System: When Omni's.
      Old System: Unknown
      Tested: Unkown
    
    
    
    Washington
    
    • Columbia
    Wisconsin
    
    • Kewaunee
      
      Point Beach

[Gil]

Illinois:

The Dresden/Braidwood system consits of old Thunderbolts and STH 10s. They are close enough together and utilize the same system. As of 2005, it was in the process of being replaced by ASC T-135s and T-128s.

The Byron system consists of ACA Banshees and P-10s. Its in the process of being replaced by ASC T-132 AC/DC.

The Lasalle County system - Not sure, but people have said there are Thunderbolts, and a huge ASC T-135 is visible on a huge hill from I-80 near Marsailles.

[AllSafe]

Are they replacing the system at Wolf Creek? Last I heard there were Thunderbolt 1003s there.

[Trey]

The Comanche Peak system is comprised of Thunderbeams I believe. They will most likely be replaced soon.

[kswx29]

Are they replacing the system at Wolf Creek? Last I heard there were Thunderbolt 1003s there.

Not that i am aware of. Coffey County is covered by all 3 Topeka News stations and i have not heard anything yet.
Here is the information about Wolf Creek's system
Coffey County, KS
Cities: New Strawn, Burlington, Waverly, Le Roy, Lebo, Gridley
Sirens: Thunderbolt 1003s (Part of County System)
Signals: 3-5 Min Steady Blast - Tornado/Wolf Creek Emergency
3-5 Min Hi-Lo - Fire Dept.
3-5 Min Attack - National Emergency.
Testing: Unknown; The sirens sound during periodic drills though.
Locations: New Strawn City Park - New Strawn
US-75 & Cross St., 9th & Potomac - Burlington
Waverly High School - Waverly
3rd & Pine - Lebo
*There are more but i am unsure where.

Click HERE For a picture of one of the sirens

[3t22]

The Millstone power plant in Niantic section of East Lyme is in the process of upgrading it's siren system over the next 3 years starting last year. The old/current system consists of about 125 various omni WS 2000s mostly 2016s. The new system will consist of 81 2910s, some of which are currently installed. Testing is monthly in most towns in alert for 3 minutes. I heard a few rumors about the Brunswick power plant in Southport NC replacing their 1000s with Whelens. This would be the 2nd siren replacement they've done. In 1996 they replaced some aging 1000s with newer ones (not sure where they came from). Their testing schedule is, silent testing every other Monday, growl or "low volume" testing every 3 months, and a 3 minute alert "full volume" test yearly usually in October. CP&L would send post cards to everyone in the 10mile EPZ when a full test was about to happen. They'd make an annoucment onthe riado and on TV when both a growl and full test was about to happen. On a side note, does anyone know where the T-bolt went to? Did Ed get any?

Also the now decommissioned CT Yankee Atomic power plant in Haddam Neck had a WS 2000 system, many of which are up and in use for the VFDs in the area. Some of the old sirens have been donated to other towns like Middlefield, for VFD use. They do wail for fire calls, and one wail blast at noon daily (Middlefield does a 6pm daily blast). The former plant test schedule was a 3 minute alert yearly usually in April at noon coinciding with a plant emergency drill. I have an old safety booklet for CT Yankee and Millstone (in one booklet) from 1991 and a safety brochure from the Brunswick plant from 1998. I'll scan the siren info from both.

[texaschad25]

The Comanche Peak system is comprised of Thunderbeams I believe. They will most likely be replaced soon.

You are correct on the Thunderbeams

[Hope Creek ACA System]

In California their is the Rancho Seco Nuclear Plant near Sacremento, and they have a P-10, some unknowns, and a T-bolt 1000

In Oklahoma their is the Black Fox Nuclear Plant. Sirens: ???????????

Oregon: Trojan Nuclear Plant. Sirens: ???????

[dboyle]

here in Central PA, we have a mixed list.

the original system was installed in 1982, consisting of Cyclone C-125s. Penetrator 10s were installed to fill in the loose areas. from what I've seen, we have about a 50/50 ratio of Cyclones and P10s.

recently, a bunch of Federal 2001 SRN-Bs have been popping up to add to or replace existing sirens. these have the giant battery boxes on the poles. there was a thing a few years back where people pushed to have battery backup on the siren system, so that's probably why. a few weeks ago, I posted a picture of a 2001 that was installed right next to a decommissioned Cyclone. that's a sad sight. but that was the Cyclone that infamously falsely activated one night in early 2002 and roared for about 30-45 minutes. I stepped outside and heard it. thought it was a car horn, but I knew better. got right outta there, and the street (Potts Hill Road) was lined with evacuees. I've never called 911 and gotten a busy signal until then.

I've often thought about what's gonna happen to that Cyclone up on top of that pole. it's just sitting there, no wires going to it or anything. I bet it sits up there and becomes a giant birdhouse until it rots and someone complains about the way it looks. I wonder how I'd go about taking ownership of it, who to ask or whatever. or, doing it the redneck way and getting 6 friends, a pickup truck and a chainsaw at 1:00 AM. they'll probably never even miss it just kidding, that's a very bad idea for many, many reasons, and many years in jail.

but I'd be interested in taking legal ownership of a Cyclone.

Peach Bottom is about 20 miles south. they have a Thunderbolt system that gets tested monthly.

[SoundOff]

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS)

From what I've read before, there are a total of 49 sirens in the system. I have a map of 17 siren sites located throughtout the San Clemente section and I've seen two near Dana Pt and another one in San Juan Capastranio. A quick search of the City of San Juan Capistrano's website said they had 8 of those sirens and were adding another one. I assume all 27 of those were the Omnidirectional Blower Fed Toshiba type sirens before they were upgraded to the new Whelen system last year.

KX250Rider mentioned a Thunderbolt located next to the plant itself in one thread and I think there were also two STH-10s at San Onofre State Beach located just south of the plant as well. That makes 30 confirmed sirens. Wonder what the 19 others are and where they are located.

The system is tested annually in Fall sometime in the middle of October. Two to Three Alert signals are sounded for three minuites between 10 AM and Noon.

Edit: I visited Edison's webspage on last years test and it now says the system has 51 sirens in there system. The 2005 report said they had 49 sirens in their system. I assume the new sirens were added during the upgrade to the new Whelen system.