Published: September 03, 2008 10:13 am      

Sirens to be tested, emphasis near Albany

CORDOVA, Ill. — Exelon Nuclear, in coordination with the Whiteside County Emergency Management Agency, will conduct special tests Thursday of two specific emergency sirens in a 52-siren system that serves the 10-mile radius surrounding the Quad Cities Generating Station. The tests will begin at approximately 10 a.m. and last for about three minutes.

The sites of the two sirens being tested are:

• Albany, Ill. — on the east side of Meridosia Road; and

• northeast of Cordova, Ill. — on the west side of 266 St. North. In general, emergency sirens surrounding nuclear power stations in Illinois are tested on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m.

However, this special test will occur on a Thursday.

The test is one of the final steps in a project to upgrade the emergency siren system. Exelon Nuclear pays for the installation and maintenance of these sirens.

However, the system also is used by governmental agencies to warn are residents of impending fires, tornados, floods or other threatening events.

Exelon Nuclear operates six Illinois plants in Will, Ogle, DeWitt, Grundy, LaSalle and Rock Island counties. The company also owns a non-operating plant in Lake County.

Quad Cities Generating Station is located in Rock Island County, five miles north of Cordova.

With both units at full power, the station can produce more than 1,800 net megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power nearly 2 million homes.