North Anna Power Station

Develop an Emergency Plan and Kit

It is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area. Your Emergency Plan will contain emergency contacts, medical information, your Protective Action Zone, evacuation and sheltering information, and more.

Your Emergency Kit should have supplies to last at least three days for each family member. Keep it in an easy-to-carry bag, such as a backpack, duffel bag, or suitcase.

Stay Up-to-Date and Listen to Emergency Notifications

Local radio and TV stations will have information and actions to take to keep you safe in the unlikely emergency event at North Anna Power Station. The public also will be alerted and notified of an emergency via the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). IPAWS is FEMA’s national system for local alerting that provides emergency and life-saving information to the public.

In an emergency, an emergency alert will be sent to your emergency alert-enabled mobile device at no charge to you. When you receive an alert on your phone, tune in to local radio or TV station for emergency information and instructions.

Receiving an alert message on your phone does NOT mean you should evacuate. It means turn on your local radio or television station(s) and listen for instructions on what to do.

In order to receive an alert to your phone, you must have a mobile device and be located in the affected area where the alert is being sent. To ensure you receive the alert, go to your mobile phone’s settings, under notifications, scroll to the bottom and confirm all emergency alerts are toggled on. For additional help, visit the Wireless Emergency Alerts tutorial on how to step-by-step enable emergency alert notifications to your phone.

In an emergency parents of school children need to listen to local TV and/or radio station(s) for updates on school status and instructions. Emergency officials will advise schools on what actions to take.

What Do I Need to Know?

• Check emergency alerts are turned on your mobile device.
• Know how you will be alerted an emergency – an emergency alert to mobile device (via FEMA IPAWS).
• Review your child’s emergency school plan on how you will be notified of your child’s status in an emergency each school year.
• Learn how to stay informed before, during and after an emergency at VDEM Stay Informed.

The 10-mile area around the North Anna Power Station is divided into 25 zones, called Protective Action Zones (PAZ). Knowing your PAZ will let you know if your zone is affected by the emergency and what action(s) to take to keep you safe.

Listen carefully to instructions specific to your zone. Not all PAZs may be affected by the emergency or need to evacuate.

If your PAZ is instructed to evacuate, listen for instructions to report to your assigned Evacuation Assembly Center (EAC). EACs offer contamination monitoring, and if recommended, potassium iodide (KI). Learn more about Potassium Iodide (KI) below.

Service animals and pets are the only animals allowed in the EAC.

A service animal is any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items.

A pet is a domesticated animal, such as a dog, bird, rabbit, rodent, or turtle that is traditionally kept in the home for pleasure rather than for commercial purposes, can travel in commercial carriers and be housed in temporary facilities. Household pets do not include reptiles (except turtles), amphibians, fish, insects/arachnids, farm animals (including horses), and animals kept for racing purposes.

If Your Community (Emergency Planning Zone) is Told to Evacuate:

• Stay calm - review your emergency plan. You will have time to take necessary action.
• Turn on local radio or TV station(s).
• Grab your emergency kit. Grab all essentials for you, your family, and pet(s). You may be away from home for several days.
• Keep up to date and listen to instructions. Ensure your phone is enabled to receive emergency alerts and listen to local radio or TV for information or protective actions to take.
• Limit telephone use for emergencies only, keep the lines open for emergency officials.
• Check on family and friends who may need assistance.
• Know your children’s school emergency plan. Review emergency school plan(s) each school year.
• Lock your home and turn off appliances. Lock doors and windows. Turn off appliances (except refrigerator and freezer).
• Drive safely to your assigned EAC. If directed, go to your assigned EAC for contamination monitoring and other potential protective actions. When driving, close windows, vents, and turn off air conditioner and heater.
• If registered as an individual needing evacuation assistance, wait for instructions from your locality.
• Return home when directed. When the emergency has ended, emergency officials will provide instructions for returning home.
• Questions during an emergency and more information, contact Virginia 2-1-1 and/or visit the VDEM website.

If Your Community (Emergency Planning Zone) is Told to Shelter-in-place:

• Stay calm – stay inside. Stay in the middle of the building, as much as possible, and close all windows and doors. Prepare to stay inside for at least three days.
• If driving, close windows and vents and turn off air conditioner and heater.
• Bring pets and livestock inside. Plan for at least three days.
• Close all windows and doors, and turn off all devices that draw outside air, if possible. You can use fans or heating devices inside the home to keep warm or cool.
• Close chimney flues when possible.
• Keep up to date and listen to instructions. Continue to monitor local radio or TV and follow instructions. Do not evacuate unless directed.
• Limit telephone use to emergencies only, keep the lines open for official use.
• Questions during an emergency and for more information, contact Virginia 2-1-1 or check the VDEM website. 

Take Potassium Iodide (KI) If Recommended

Not every radiological emergency will result in the release of radiation. Potassium iodide (or KI) is a form of iodine. KI may be recommended as an additional protective action to help protect your thyroid gland in the chance of exposure to a harmful amount of radiation. KI tablets will be provided by emergency officials and handed out at your assigned EAC.

For more information on potassium iodide, visit Virginia Department of Health’s potassium iodide webpage.

Protect Your Livestock and Agriculture

Livestock and poultry owners are responsible for the care and wellbeing of their animals. Livestock and poultry owners, farmers, and producers should develop and maintain an emergency plan specific to their needs to use in the case of an evacuation.

Nuclear plant emergencies may impact livestock, food, and agricultural products. Protective actions for livestock and agricultural products will be issued by appropriate state and local officials. These actions may include:

• If possible, shelter farm animals and provide stored (covered) feed and protected water (e.g., protective self-feeders and automatic waterers).
• Store feed in buildings or cover with plastic or canvas if outdoors.
• Cover open wells and water tanks.
• Have a relocation plan for livestock in the event you cannot return to your home.

For more information about disaster planning for livestock and agriculture, contact your local cooperative extension agent or emergency management office and download the U.S Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Livestock Preparedness Fact Sheet .

What Do I Need to Know?

• Know what to do if told to evacuate or shelter-in-place in an emergency.
• If recommended, know where to get potassium iodide (or KI).
• Have a plan for protecting livestock and/or agricultural products.

Nuclear power plants are designed, engineered, and operated to adhere to stringent safety and security regulations and practices. Multiple layers of safety systems and structures protect the plant and community from an emergency:

• Reactor safety systems with separate, redundant backup systems to provide reliable protection
• Reinforced concrete and steel designed containment buildings to withstand tremendous forces (e.g., hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and external explosions)
• Regularly exercised and comprehensive emergency plans and procedures
• Highly skilled, experienced, and continuously trained plant employees
• Highly secured, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Comprehensive security plans and on-site security force personnel
• Advanced physical security and monitoring systems