News
Full-scale nuclear emergency exercise taking place October 6 and 7
2021-10-04
FREDERICTON – NB Power and the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization (NBEMO) will conduct a full-scale nuclear emergency exercise Oct. 6-7. The exercise will also be supported by regional, provincial, federal and international agencies.
Synergy Challenge is a multi-tier and multi-jurisdiction event for the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station that will test emergency preparedness as well as decision-making by NB Power, NBEMO and emergency response partners. About 1000 people representing more than 40 agencies and organizations are expected to participate.
As part of a regulatory requirement from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, a full-scale exercise takes place every three years to demonstrate the overall preparedness for a highly unlikely nuclear emergency. This full-scale exercise is in addition to drills and exercises that are conducted on a regular basis.
Synergy Challenge will validate the preparedness of PLNGS, NB Power, government and non-government organizations and agencies to respond to a simulated radiological emergency initiated by a cyber security event including:
- testing the interoperability of participating organizations and coordination of response efforts;
- assessing current on-site and off-site emergency response plans; and
- producing a joint evaluation report on the interoperability, coordination, and integration of participating organizations during a simulated nuclear emergency at PLNGS.
Synergy Challenge 2021 will incorporate knowledge gained from the province’s last full-scale nuclear emergency exercise in 2018. It will also consider operating experience from other nuclear power plant exercises and lessons learned from recent recovery efforts in New Brunswick.
The exercise will take place over two days at the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station and other locations, including the NBEMO provincial emergency operations centre in Fredericton and the regional emergency operations centre in Saint John.
Media contacts:
Marc Belliveau, Communications, NB Power, (506) 238-3273 or mbelliveau@nbpower.com
Geoffrey Downey, Communications, New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization, geoffrey.downey@gnb.ca.
