Pickering Nuclear Generating Station issues alert by mistake

The Pickering Nuclear Generating Station issued an alert Sunday morning at 7:20 a.m. to all Ontario mobile devices that an incident had been reported applying to people living within a 10 kilometre distance of the plant.

Pickering Nuclear Generating Station issues alert

The alert read:

“An incident was reported at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. There has been NO abnormal release of radioactivity from the station and emergency staff are responding to the situation,” the notification read.

“People near the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station DO NOT need to take any protective actions at this time.”

Then at 8:06 am the Ontario Power Generation issued a message both on Twitter, and then directly to Ontario mobile devices 106 minutes later, declaring that the “incident” at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station was “sent in error.”

The follow-up message read: “There is NO active nuclear situation taking place at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. The previous alert was issued in error. There is no danger to the public or environment. No further action is required.”

The province is responsible for issuing the alerts and retracting them. A concerted effort from local fire, police, emergency services and elected officials managed to get confirmation that the alert was sent in error, followed by sending out the alert cancellation.

A full investigation is taking place to determine how the message could have been sent out in error, but reports suggest there were Provincial Emergency Operations Centre (PEOC) training exercises taking place and there was no intention to notify the public. Essentially, the alert was sent out by mistake.

A statement from the Ontario Solicitor General reads: “The alert was issued in error to the public during a routine training exercise being conducted by the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre. There was no incident at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station that should have triggered public notification. Nor was there ever any danger to the public or environment. The PEOC conducts training exercises regularly and there was no intention to notify the public.”

Pickering Nuclear Generating Station is a Canadian nuclear power station located on the north shore of Lake Ontario in Pickering, Ontario. It is one of the oldest nuclear power stations in the world and Canada’s third-largest, producing about 15% of Ontario’s power and employing 3,000 workers.

Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan tweeted out a response to saying, “Like many of you, I was very troubled to have received that emergency alert this morning. While I am relieved that there was no actual emergency, I am upset that an error such as this occurred. I have spoken to the Province, and am demanding that a full investigation take place.”

We will monitor the story and keep everyone updated on new events.

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