Charlotte-area residents will hear nuclear emergency sirens at full volume on Wednesday as Duke Energy conducts a scheduled safety test across multiple counties. The test will begin at 11:50 a.m. on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, and will activate 156 outdoor sirens for 5 to 30 seconds. Officials stress that no action is required from the public.
The test covers the Emergency Planning Zones (EPZs) surrounding two major nuclear facilities in the region. 89 sirens near the Catawba Nuclear Station in York, South Carolina, and 67 sirens near the McGuire Nuclear Station in Huntersville, North Carolina, will sound the brief “growl” tone used for system verification. Duke Energy conducts these tests to ensure all warning systems function properly in the event of a real emergency.
Emergency officials encourage residents to prepare by downloading the Emergency Manager app, which includes a “Know Your Zone” tool to help people identify their emergency zone based on their home or workplace. That information is used during evacuations or shelter-in-place advisories.
If a true emergency occurs, authorities may instruct residents to shelter indoors. Recommended steps include closing all windows and doors, shutting off HVAC systems, moving to interior rooms, and preserving phone battery life for official updates.
State and local officials emphasize the importance of staying calm during any emergency alert and relying only on trusted, verified news sources for instructions. The siren test is expected to conclude within minutes, with no additional alerts planned for the day.
