ML25028A235
| ML25028A235 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/23/2025 |
| From: | Dante Johnson Policy and Oversight Branch |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML25028A235 (6) | |
Text
Positive Operating Experience ANS (Sirens) Response to Hurricane Helene Don A. Johnson Senior EP Specialist USNRC
Plant Hatch: Hurricane Helene Response -
Maintaining ANS
- Plant Hatch took additional measures, prior to and after Hurricane Helenes landfall to ensure that the fixed sirens maintained operability and to support the offsite response organizations. This included the following:
- Obtained enough DC batteries to replace them when they drained.
Note that sirens are operated via DC power and uses AC power to keep them charged. Provided 24/7 capability for this.
- Formally paused weekly siren testing as a preventative measure to keep the DC batteries charged when AC power was unavailable.
Alternate arrangements for ensuring siren availability were made.
Plant Hatch: Hurricane Helene Response -
Maintaining ANS
- Ensured sirens were available to support public alerting if needed.
- With the widespread devastation, and loss of power, the availability of sirens as an alerting method was important (loss of power, loss of local cell-phone towers, etc.).
- Used all available resources to obtain access to sirens due to falling trees and debris.
Plant Hatch: Hurricane Helene Response -
Maintaining ANS
- Plant staff volunteered to act as tiger teams to maintain access to sirens and to ensure batteries were ready for siren activation if needed.
- Jeff Davis County recognized a potential resource issue due to the impact from the hurricane and reached out to plant Hatch. The site and the County quickly established an MOU for plant personnel to provide resources for the staffing of selected positions within the Jeff Davis Reception Center if it became necessary to activate it.
Plant Hatch: Hurricane Helene Response -
Maintaining ANS
- Site EP maintained 24/7 awareness of the issues related to ANS, and maintained communication with each ORO throughout the event and afterwards.
- This included consideration of how the site could provide AC power capability to response centers or other facilities, if necessary, using the sites flex diesel generator.
Plant Hatch: Hurricane Helene Response -
Maintaining ANS The sites preparedness for, response during, and engagement after the Hurricane are seen as positive examples of site engagement to support offsite organizations and emergency preparedness during a significant natural event.