On Aug. 17 at 11 a.m., Susquehanna Nuclear will test all of its emergency alert sirens for roughly three minutes. Residents within a ten-mile radius of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station will likely hear the test system.
Also Thursday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) will distribute free potassium iodide, or KI tablets to Pennsylvanians living or working within 10 miles of the state’s nuclear power plants.
Each summer, as part of routine preventative efforts according to DOH, KI tablets are made available to those nearby Beaver Valley Power Station, Limerick Generating Station, Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, and Susquehanna Steam Electric Station – the last of which is near Berwick in Northeast Pennsylvania.
The DOH asks Pennsylvanians to only take KI tablets when instructed to do so by local authorities. KI tablets are safe for pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding, people on thyroid medication, children, and infants. Healthcare providers will be at distribution sites to answer any questions.
Nearby school districts and employers may request a supply of KI tablets from DOH.
For people near the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, tablets will be distributed on Thursday, Aug. 17 at:
- Berwick City Hall, 1800 N. Market St. Berwick, PA 18603
(2:00 PM to 7:00 PM) - Butler Township Community Center, 411 West Butler Drive, Drums, PA 18222 (2:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.)
- Luzerne County Community College, Public Safety Center, 1333 South Prospect St. Nanticoke, PA, 18634 (2:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.)
To find other locations to pick up tablets, visit the Department of Health’s website or call the department at 1-877-PA-HEALTH.