New Jersey’s largest utility has asked the feds to halt all air traffic over two of its nuclear power plants — after drones were spotted over the sensitive sites, The Post has learned.
Congressman Fred Van Drew (R-NJ) confirmed to The Post that PSE&G filed the request with the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday.
The rare appeal comes amid a spate of mysterious drone sightings across the Garden State as well as in parts of Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island.
Van Drew said the company is “concerned about their nuclear facility” after a pair of drones was spotted this week hovering over the Salem Nuclear Power Plant and the adjacent Hope Creek Generating Station, both in Lower Alloways Creek Township, about 25 miles from Wilmington, Del., and 50 miles from Philadelphia.
“[The incursion] wasn’t over the most sensitive area of the plants, but this had never happened before,” Van Drew told The Post.
The two drones were the size of “small SUVs,” much like the other drones seen flying over the state.
Van Drew said federal officials have received “thousands” of reports from New Jersey and New York residents who noticed drones in the skies above.
“We are not stopping until we get to the bottom of this,” Van Drew said.
State officials have been in touch with the White House, the FBI, Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense, seeking both answers and assistance. The first sightings in New Jersey were reported in mid-November.
Gov. Phil Murphy penned a letter to President Joe Biden Friday, and said the drones have “raised more questions than answers,” and that the lack of transparency was fueling online conspiracy theories.
Van Drew said he remains stunned the outgoing administration continues to provide flimsy answers about what’s been invading U.S. airspace, or who’s behind the unmanned aircrafts behind the unmanned aircraft.
“We are currently working with the FBI to gather more information, and we have requested a classified briefing to ensure that we get the answers the people deserve,” Van Drew said, adding federal help was coming in the form of a soon-to-be-delivered radar system, capable of honing in on a drone fingerprints.
