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Be Prepared

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Stay Informed

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Know Your PAZ
and EAC

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Follow
Instructions

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Understanding
Nuclear Safety

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More Information

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Test Your Knowledge

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Download Safety PDF

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Be Prepared

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.

Kit Items to include:

  • First Aid Kit (including list of allergies, extra contact lenses, glasses)
  • Non-perishable foods/can opener
  • Matches/lighters
  • Water, one gallon per person per day
  • Medications
  • Flashlight / extra batteries
  • Photo ID
  • Local Map
  • Important documents/cash
  • Clothing/blankets
  • Phone and phone chargers
  • Tools
  • Items for individuals with access and functional needs
  • Personal items
  • Infant/children supplies
  • Pet supplies
Build an Emergency Kit Infographic. Customize Your Kit. Pack Enough for 3 days. Refresh twice a year.

Persons with access and functional needs who may need evacuation assistance – Make a Plan. Contact your locality to learn about options and how to sign-up for services. Locality contact information is provided under More Information below.

Develop a Pet Emergency Plan and Kit

Not all shelters and hotels accept pets. Plan ahead to stay with family, friends, or at pet-friendly locations if you need to evacuate your home. If a hotel has a no-pets policy, ask if they can waive the policy during an emergency. Don’t hesitate to leave your home in an emergency because you don’t want to leave your pet(s) behind.

Kit items to include:

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  • Microchip your pet
  • Pet carrier
  • Non-spill water and food bowls
  • Pet food and water for at least three days
  • Pet vaccination/medical records
  • Medications
  • Collar with ID tag and leash (include backups)
  • Familiar items/toys/bedding
  • Plastic bags/litter
  • Photograph of your pet
  • Extra newspaper/disinfectant

What Do I Need to Know?

  • Develop an Emergency Plan and Kit – keep handy. Visit VDEM’s website for additional information.
  • Develop a Pet Emergency Plan and Kit - keep handy. Visit FEMA’s Prepared Your Pets for Disaster for additional information.
  • Identify a pet friendly hotel.
  • If identified as someone with access and functional needs who would need help in an evacuation, contact your locality to register.

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Stay Informed

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.  

 
Emergency Alert Radio / TV Stations
Radio TV Station
Richmond
WRVA 1140 AM
WRXL 102.1 FM
WRNL 910 AM
WRVQ 94.5 FM
Richmond
WTVR Ch.6
WRIC Ch.8
WWBT Ch.12
 
Charlottesville
WVIR Ch. 29
WVIR Ch. 3
WVAW Ch. 4
WAHU Ch. 9
Richmond
WTVR Ch.6
WRIC Ch.8
WWBT Ch.12
 
Charlottesville
WVIR Ch. 29
WVIR Ch. 3
WVAW Ch. 4
WAHU Ch. 9
Washington D.C.
WRC Ch. 4
WTTG Ch. 5
WJLA Ch. 7
WUSA Ch. 9
Hanover (county residents only) WQGT 1700 AM  

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.  
     

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Know Your Protective Action Zone (PAZ)
and Evacuation Assembly Center (EAC)

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 you live or work within the 10-mile area of North Anna Power Station, use the map below to find your PAZ you reside or work and nearby EAC. Or, review the static map.

What Do I Need to Know?

  • Know your PAZ and assigned EAC.

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Follow Emergency Instructions

If Your Protective Action 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 Protective Action 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. 

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Understanding Nuclear Safety

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

There are three fission product barriers (also referred to as protective barriers) that prevent radioactive fission products to release into the environment: (1) fuel cladding, (2) reactor vessel and cooling system, and (3) containment.

  1. Fuel Cladding: The fuel cladding serves as the first and primary fission product barrier. Fuel cladding is the outer layer of the fuel rods, standing between the reactor coolant and the nuclear fuel (i.e., fuel pellets). It prevents corrosion of the fuel.​
  2. Reactor Coolant System: The reactor coolant system acts as the second fission product barrier. Within the large steel reactor vessel, the reactor coolant system includes the pipes and components (e.g., reactor vessel, coolant pumps and piping) that supports the transfer and process of reactor coolant (water) to remove heat from the reactor core.
  3. Containment Building: The containment building acts as the third fission product barrier. The containment is a concrete shield building and steel containment vessel that houses the reactor vessel, steam generators, and piping of the reactor coolant system.
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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) defines four emergency classifications that could occur at a nuclear power station. Dominion Energy would contact federal, state, and local authorities in each of the following situations:

  • Unusual Event is the least serious level, indicating a potential or minor event at the station. Radioactive release, if any, is minimal and far below Federal guidelines. There is no impact to the public and no public action needed. Support from state and local emergency officials is not needed.
  • Alert is a more serious level, indicating an event that may affect station safety. Radioactive release, if any, is minimal and far below Federal guidelines. There is no impact to the public and no public action needed. State and local emergency officials will share information with the public as needed.
  • Site Area Emergency is a serious level, indicating an event that may affect or has affected plant safety. Radioactive release, if any, should remain under Federal guidelines. When alerted, you should tune in to local radio and television stations for information and instructions. State and local emergency officials may recommend actions for the public to take.
  • General Emergency is the most serious level that involves a serious event that may affect or has affected plant safety. Radioactive release, if any, may exceed Federal guidelines. When alerted, you should tune in to local radio and television stations for information and instructions for protective actions. State and local emergency officials will direct actions for the public to take.
 

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More Information

Local and State Contact Information

For additional emergency preparedness and response information specific to your area, visit your local emergency management/public safety agency website, or contact your locality directly.

If you are an individual with access and functional needs that requires evacuation assistance in an emergency, complete your locality’s registry form or contact the number provided by your locality to see what services are available:

Caroline County

Office: 804-633-9831

Individuals with access and functional needs needing evacuation assistance, contact 804-633-9831.

To receive local alerts and information from Caroline County, subscribe to Caroline Alert.

Hanover County

Office: 804-537-6195

Individuals with access and functional needs needing evacuation assistance, contact 804-365-4148.

To receive local alerts and information from Hanover County, subscribe to Hanover Alerts.

Louisa County

Office: 540-967-3491

Individuals with access and functional needs needing evacuation assistance, contact 540-967-3491.

To receive local alerts and information from Louisa County, subscribe to CivicReady Citizen Alert.

Orange County

Office: 540-672-7044

Individuals with access and functional needs needing evacuation assistance, contact 540-672-7044.

To receive local alerts and information from Orange County, subscribe to RaveAlert.

Spotsylvania County

Office: 540-507-7900

Individuals with access and functional needs needing evacuation assistance, contact 540-507-7900, or go to the Spotsylvania Social Services website.

To receive local alerts and information from Spotsylvania County, subscribe to SpotsyAlert.

Virginia Department of Emergency Management

Office: 804-674-2400 (or toll free at 800-468-8892)

Visit the VDEM website for emergency preparedness and response information for all types of hazards.

Virginia Department of Health’s Radiological Health

Provides radiological health and other emergency preparedness and response information.

Virginia 2-1-1

Call VA 2-1-1 for information on all kinds of topics, including school closures, evacuation assembly center, emergency preparedness and other emergency planning topics.

Dominion Energy

Call Dominion Energy toll-free at 866-366-4357 for more information about nuclear power station operations and preparedness, or to request a hard copy of this information mailed to you at no cost.

Download This Information as a PDF

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Test Your Knowledge

Correct!

Incorrect. Please try again.

In an emergency at the nuclear power station, emergency officials will alert the public via an emergency alert message to mobile devices. These are real time alerts sent directly to mobile devices with information about the emergency and instructions on how to stay safe.

Prior to 2023, sirens were the old alerting method before changing to emergency alert messages on mobile devices. Sirens are not used anymore to alert the public.

Turning to social media feeds is not the first action or place to be alerted of an emergency at the nuclear power station. Unofficial social media feeds can spread false or misleading information.

Correct!

Incorrect. Please try again.

Receiving or hearing an emergency alert message or any alert message on your phone, does NOT mean you should evacuate. It means tune into your local radio or television station(s) and listen for information and instructions on what to do, such as shelter-in-place or to evacuate your home.

In an emergency, when you receive an emergency alert message to your mobile device, next action is to tune into local radio and/or TV station(s) for information and instructions.

Do not ignore the emergency alert. The reason for receiving the alert is to get your attention and tune into your local radio or television station(s) for information and instructions.

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If you need help with developing a Family Emergency Plan and/or Emergency Kit, go to Ready.gov and/or Virginia Department of Emergency Management's website for helpful emergency preparedness resources to get you started.

The U.S. Department of Defense will not provide you emergency preparedness resources to help you develop a Family Emergency Plan and/or an Emergency Kit.

The U.S. Department of Treasury will not provide you emergency preparedness resources to help you develop a Family Emergency Plan and/or an Emergency Kit.

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These zones have no connection to public school districts in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

These zones have no connection to voting districts in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Protective Action Zones are established to provide instruction on what action(s) to take in an emergency.

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In an emergency at North Anna Power Station, people may call VA 2-1-1 for information and resources related to the emergency.

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Nuclear power stations have 3 fission product barriers (protective barriers) to prevent the release of radioactive fission products from the reactor core to the environment.

  1. 1. First barrier is the fuel cladding.
  2. 2. Second barrier is the Reactor Coolant System.
  3. 3. Third barrier is the Containment Building.

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