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Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Plant

Calvert County’s Emergency Management Division is responsible for emergency planning related to  Constellation Energy‘s Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Lusby, Md. The plant has been in operation since 1975 and includes two nuclear reactors generating a total of 1,750 megawatts.

Emergency Response
Each year Constellation Energy mails a Public Emergency Response Information Calendar to county residents featuring information residents should know in the unlikely event of an emergency at Calvert Cliffs. To see the 2012 calendar, click here.

State and local emergency management staff work with emergency planning for Constellation Energy to review and update evacuation and sheltering information for residents living within 10 miles of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. Areas within this 10-mile radius are divided into five zones for emergency planning purposes. The following Calvert County zone descriptions will help you determine your zone. Knowing your zone number could be important in an emergency. The emergency calendar linked above contains a map of the zones along with further information.

Zone 1:
Bordered by Calvert Beach Road to the north; the Chesapeake Bay to the east; southern boundaries include Breeden Road/Sollers Wharf Road/Old Mill Road/Hellen Creek/St. Paul Branch/Route 492/Calvert Cliffs State Park; bordered by Route 2 and 4/St. Leonard Creek to the west.

Zone 2:
Northern boundaries include Route 2 and 4/Governor Run Road; eastern boundaries include Chesapeake Bay/Route 2 and 4/St. Leonard Creek; southern boundaries include Calvert Beach Road and Patuxent River; bordered by Broomes Island Road/Nan Cove to the west.

Zone 3:
Northern boundaries include Breeden Road/Sollers Wharf Road/Old Mill Road/Hellen Creek/St. Paul Branch/Route 497/Calvert Cliffs State Park; bordered by the Chesapeake Bay to the east; bordered by the Patuxent River to the south and west.

Zone 4:
Bordered by Route 2 & 4 to the north; Broomes Island Road/Nan Cove to the east; the Patuxent River to the south; Route 231/Adelina Road/Sheridan Road to the west.

Zone 5:
Bordered by Dares Beach Road/Cassell Road to the north; the Chesapeake Bay to the east; Governor Run Road to the south; Tobacco Ridge Road (to Calvert County property gate)/Main Street at Monitor Way (to Calvert Towne)/Route 2 & 4 (at Calvert Towne) to the west.

If state or local officials direct residents to take shelter or to evacuate, an  Emergency Alert System message will be broadcast over local radio stations and local public access cable television stations would identify the affected areas by zone number.

Local Provision of Potassium Iodide
Potassium iodide (KI) is a salt compound consisting of potassium and iodine. Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to produce hormones that help control metabolism. KI has been provided to residents within the 10-mile emergency planning zone and should be taken only when directed by county officials. Taken within several hours of exposure to radioactive iodine, KI can block the concentration of radioactive iodine in the thyroid gland, thereby reducing one type of radiation exposure.

The use of KI is only indicated in emergencies where the public is likely to be exposed to radioactive iodine. The state and county health departments monitor all radiation emergencies and will immediately notify the public if KI should be taken to prevent a radiation dose to the thyroid. The health department will make this immediately known through public announcements, through the media and through the Emergency Alert System.

Visit the Calvert County Health Department for further details on potassium iodide.

Alert Notification System
In an emergency, county officials would activate the siren alert system within a 10-mile radius of the power plant. The sirens alert the public to tune into local radio stations for information and instructions on any emergency situation. The sirens are not a signal to evacuate. In a community emergency, Calvert Cliffs’ sirens would sound a steady three- to five-minute signal. The sirens may also be used to alert the public to other emergencies, such as dangerous weather conditions.

Siren Tests
The alert notification system sirens are tested regularly to ensure they are working correctly. The testing is part of normal maintenance; no public action is necessary. Siren test dates are noted below. Siren tests last approximately three minutes. Remember, in an emergency, the sirens would sound repeatedly.

2012 Siren Test Schedule
Tuesday, January 3, 12 p.m.
Monday, April 2, 12 p.m.
Monday, July 2, 12 p.m.
Monday, October 1, 12 p.m.

Accidental Siren Sounding
If you hear a siren but no message is broadcast on the radio or television within 30 minutes, the siren is probably malfunctioning. Please report malfunctions to the Calvert County Emergency Management Division by calling 410-535-3491.

Phone:  410-535-1600 or 301-855-1243, ext 2638
Fax:  410-535-3997; Email:  oem@co.cal.md.us