Officials: Seabrook Station Nuke Siren Sounded Wed. Due to Drill

The main on-site Seabrook Station nuclear power plant siren sounded around 8:45 a.m. Wednesday not due to an emergency, but rather a routine quarterly emergency planning drill, according to plant officials.

Al Griffith, the plant's spokesman, said only one siren went off as part of what the facility calls a "functional" drill involving local, state and federal emergency response agencies. These drills are conducted once every three or four months, he said.

Several residents contacted Hampton-North Hampton Patch after hearing what they thought were multiple sirens, although Griffith said only one siren actually sounded. He said it may have seemed like multiple sirens due to the fact that the facility's sirens oscillate.

Griffith said advance notice of the test was given to residents in the area, available on the plant's information line and posted in local media outlets, although Griffith said the system is "not perfect" because any calls from the public show that more needs to be done to fully inform residents.

"We need to do a better job," said Griffith.

Griffith said anyone with questions about why sirens may be sounding, about scheduled tests at the plant or other questions should "absolutely" contact the plant's main line at (603) 773-7000.

[Editor's note: Hampton-North Hampton Patch didn't receive advance notification of Wednesday's test from Seabrook Station or its parent company, NextEra Energy. No notices were posted on the Seabrook Station website.]

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