See every side of every news story
Published loading...Updated

Xcel Energy switches from sirens to cellphone alerts to warn public of nuclear emergencies

MINNESOTA, AUG 4 – People within 10 miles of two nuclear plants will receive detailed emergency notifications via cellphones through a national alert system, replacing unused sirens, Xcel Energy said.

  • Amid modernizing emergency warnings, Xcel Energy will use cellphone alerts via the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System for residents near Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear plants.
  • Xcel Energy cited high mobile phone adoption and said sirens had never been used in an emergency, making cellphone alerts a safety upgrade, Pamela Prochaska said.
  • Automatically enrolling residents within 10 miles of the Monticello and Prairie Island plants, Xcel Energy's cellphone alerts provide tailored details and recommended actions, Pamela Prochaska said.
  • By adding alert info to its annual mailing, Xcel Energy and the state's Homeland Security and Emergency Management division have notified emergency responders of the change.
  • As part of its long-term strategy, Xcel Energy intends to operate its plants into the 2050s and will donate its unused sirens to communities that choose to keep them as backup, Prochaska said.
Insights by Ground AI
Does this summary seem wrong?

16 Articles

InforumInforum
+13 Reposted by 13 other sources
Center

Xcel Energy switches from sirens to cellphone alerts to warn public of nuclear emergencies

MINNEAPOLIS — Xcel Energy will now use cellphones to notify people who live near its Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear plants in case of an emergency, instead of outdoor sirens. The Minneapolis-based utility said it will use the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, a national system that delivers severe weather warnings and AMBER alerts through cellphones. Xcel said the modern technology is a safety upgrade, allowing notifications to …

·Fargo, United States
Read Full Article
Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/yearSubscribe

Bias Distribution

  • 62% of the sources lean Right
62% Right

Factuality 

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

Ownership

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

MPR News broke the news in Saint Paul, United States on Monday, August 4, 2025.
Sources are mostly out of (0)

Similar News Topics