Rutherford County Could Be Affected by McGuire Nuclear Plant Emergency

Nearly 285,000 people live within 10 miles of Duke Energy’s McGuire Nuclear Plant in Mecklenburg County, officials say — and while Rutherford County falls just outside the 50-mile zone that emergency management planners monitor, local fire department sources say it is still close enough to raise concern. FEMA could not provide an exact number of people who might be impacted in the region outside of the 10-mile zone when asked by WCAB News. 

The county’s proximity came up during a public briefing on Aug. 28 at Sherrills Ford Library, following a full-scale emergency exercise Aug. 26 conducted by Catawba County Emergency Services. The drill tested multi-county coordination across Mecklenburg, Lincoln, Gaston, Iredell, and Catawba counties, alongside Duke Energy and state agencies.

JT Ackerman, Technological Hazards Branch Chief for FEMA Region 4 and chair of the Regional Assistance Committee (RAC), said the evaluation focused on validating county and state plans to ensure evacuations, sheltering, communications, and other protective actions can be carried out effectively.

Catawba County Emergency Services emphasized readiness in a statement on Sept. 2. “This drill is required and evaluated by FEMA to ensure quality Emergency Services readiness and coordination across multiple counties and departments. Catawba County Emergency Services and its partners stand ready to provide a rapid and coordinated response to all affected areas; protecting, relocating, and providing resources for all affected citizens, in the event of any emergency involving the McGuire Nuclear Station in Mecklenburg County, NC. Based on the outcome of the exercise, it is FEMA Region 4’s position that reasonable assurance relative to offsite preparedness for the McGuire Nuclear Station will be continued.”

The RAC, a federal-state advisory group chaired by FEMA, includes representatives from the NRC, EPA, Department of Energy, USDA, and HHS to ensure emergency plans meet federal standards and can be implemented effectively in a nuclear incident.

Residents seeking evacuation maps, emergency preparedness guides, and planning information can access Duke Energy’s McGuire Nuclear Emergency Preparedness website. For more details and the exclusive video, click here.