The number of drone flyovers of nuclear plants for the entire year nearly doubled in one week, from December 10th to December 17th, according to data provided to The War Zone by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
Between Jan. 1 and Dec.10, nuclear facility licensees reported a total of 15 drone events. As of about 1 p.m. Dec., 17, that number had jumped to 26, NRC spokesman Dave McIntyre told The War Zone on Friday in response to our query.
While the timeline overlaps with a rash of drone sightings across the country and especially in the New Jersey area – including over military installations and energy infrastructure – it is unclear at the moment what, if any, connection there is to the dramatic increase in suspicious drone events over nuclear facilities.
“…before January 2024, nuclear power plant licensees voluntarily reported flyovers by uncrewed aerial systems, such as drones, to the Federal Aviation Administration; law enforcement (local and the FBI); and the NRC,” McIntyre told The War Zone.
“Because reporting was voluntary, our information may not reflect the total number of UAS overflights of nuclear power plants.” Once a flyover is reported, he added, “the NRC provides the specifics to other agencies for follow-up, including the FBI. The NRC does not investigate this type of activity once it has been reported.”
We reached out to the NRC, FBI, FAA and Department of Homeland Security for more context about these flyovers. We will update this story with any pertinent information provided.
The most recent publicly known drone sightings were over the Public Service Energy & Gas (PSEG) Nuclear Salem and Hope Creek generating stations, located at Lower Alloways Creek Township, in Salem County, New Jersey.
“Yes, drones were seen in the vicinity of Salem and Hope Creek (they’re the same site) last weekend,” NRC spokesperson Diane Screnci told us on Dec. 20. She did not provide a specific date, but a PSE&G spokesperson issued a statement saying that a flyover occurred on Dec 14.
The Hope Creek generation station, which produces nearly half of the state’s energy, was one of 22 facilities to have its airspace banned to drones by the Federal Aviation Administration on Dec. 18. You can see the full list of sites where the FAA issued temporary flight restrictions (TFR) in our story about that here.
“While DHS and our federal partners continue to see no evidence of a threat, the purpose of the TFR is to discourage drone flights around these areas, as requested by the critical infrastructure partners,” DHS said in a statement on Dec. 19.
“DHS and other security partners routinely request the FAA establish TFRs to restrict drone flights in areas where the drones could be unsafe or pose a security risk.”
The restrictions affect drones operating below 400 feet and last until Jan. 17. There is always the possibility that the timeline could be extended or additional communities have their airspace similarly closed.
