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False Alarms Sound At Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Emergency management officials say sirens in a 10-mile area around the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant were inadvertently activated by a plant contractor for about three minutes on Wednesday.

There was no emergency at the plant, which is off-line for refueling.

The sirens went off about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. The area around the power plant is called the Emergency Planning Zone.

Plans have been developed for warning and protecting people within this area, which includes about 20 towns in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

No action is required by the public.

The Vermont towns in the zone are Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guiford, Halifax, Marlboro and Vernon. The New Hampshire towns are Chesterfield, Hinsdale, Richmond, Swanzey and Winchester. The Massachusetts towns are Bernardston, Colrain, Gill, Greenfield, Leyden, Northfield and Warwick.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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