State and local emergency officials, along with representatives from Duke Energy, will participate in an emergency response exercise at the Harris Nuclear Plant in Wake County, North Carolina, on April 29, 2025. This drill is designed to test the emergency plans within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone surrounding the plant. The exercise aims to evaluate the command, control, communications, and response functions of state, county, and utility partners.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Federal Emergency Management Agency mandate these exercises biennially for areas within a 10-mile radius of nuclear plants. In addition, state and local officials are required to test response plans in a 50-mile radius, concerning agricultural impacts, food supply, and evacuation return processes, every eight years.
Following the exercise, the outcome will be presented at a public meeting hosted by FEMA evaluators. This meeting is scheduled for May 1, 2025, at 11 a.m., and is open to the public and media. It will be held at the New Hill Community Center, located at 3101 New Hill-Holleman Rd, New Hill, NC 27562.
