Seabrook Nuclear Power Station owner expresses 'regret' after inadvertent alarm
SEABROOK, N.H. -- The company that owns Seabrook Nuclear Power Station expressed its "regret" Friday about an inadvertent alarm activation in a letter to the governor.
Beachgoers in Hampton and Rye were left shaken after hearing a message about an emergency at the power plant on Tuesday. Nine out of 121 sirens were mistakenly activated.
"While the situation was addressed within minutes, we regret the ramifications this caused to the residents in our neighboring communities," NextEra wrote in a letter to Gov. Chris Sununu. "There were no operating issues at the plant when the sirens were activated."
The siren system is tested frequently to make sure it's reliable in case of an actual emergency, the company said.
"The Seabrook Station team is conducting a thorough investigation and we will take actions to ensure this situation does not happen again," NextEra said. "We are also committed to enhancing our notification and communication to state and local agencies based on our findings."
No evacuations were made during the alarm, and several police departments confirmed within minutes that the alarm was accidental. One area resident told WBZ-TV there was panic, and it took 20 minutes before she and her neighbors found out it was a false alarm.
"The state appreciates their commitment to investigating and enhancing their communication system," Sununu said in response to the letter. "Granite Staters on the seacoast are frustrated and concerned at this inadvertent alarm, and I'm right there with them — which is why we're going to hold Seabrook accountable on their review to ensure this doesn't happen again."
New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen is requesting a review of the plant after the incident. "I am deeply concerned with the insufficient communication during and in the aftermath of this inadvertent alarm," Shaheen wrote in a letter to NextEra Energy.