Oyster Creek to Test New Sirens on Tuesday

The Oyster Creek Generating Station will test its sirens on Tuesday, plant officials said.

Exelon Generation will conduct its semi-annual, full volume test of its new emergency warning sirens with battery back-up on Tuesday at approximately 10 a.m.

"This is just one of two semi-annual tests scheduled for the first Tuesday of June and December each year," said Susan D'Ambrosio, plant spokeswoman.

This year's test is slightly different than past years, however: Exelon replaced all 42 emergency warning sirens in the 10-mile radius around Oyster Creek with new, state-of-the-art units featuring battery back-up, said D'Ambrosio.

The original sirens will be removed in 2014. 

The replacement of the Oyster Creek sirens is part of an effort by the company to replace them at all of its east coast nuclear plants, including Limerick, Peach Bottom and Three Mile Island. The project will involve a total investment of more than $11 million and the replacement of 400 sirens.

The purpose of the sirens is to notify residents to tune to an Emergency Alert System (EAS) radio or television station in case of an emergency, officials said.