San Onofre Siren Tests Scheduled
Several South County cities and unincorporated areas near the San Onofre nuclear power plant will conduct a test of 50 community alert sirens between 10 a.m. and noon Wednesday, officials said.
Residents within 10 miles of the plant can expect to hear two siren blasts lasting three to five minutes each, said Southern California Edison spokesman Ray Golden.
Each siren has a force of about 120 decibels “if you’re right underneath them,” Golden said, “But they’re overlapping, so whatever vicinity you are in within a 10-mile radius of the plant, you can hear it.”
The system is designed to alert residents, during power plant emergencies, to turn on their television or radio for more information, Golden said.
During Wednesday’s test, broadcast messages will inform people that a test is being conducted, Golden said.
Edison, which operates the plant, owns and maintains 50 sirens in San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, unincorporated areas of southern Orange County, the state parks and Camp Pendleton.
However, the sirens are controlled by the individual jurisdictions.
Such federally required tests are conducted annually.
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