Maryland Strengthens Nuclear Emergency Preparedness through PBEX 2026 Exercise
HANOVER, Md. (May 4, 2026) — The Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM), alongside other state, local, federal, and private-sector partners, successfully completed the biennial Radiological Emergency Preparedness Exercise for the Peach Bottom Clean Energy Center (previously known as Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station) on Tue, Apr 28, 2026.
The 2026 exercise involved a comprehensive, graded evaluation by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). MDEM coordinated the plume portion of the exercise from the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in conjunction with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), the Maryland Department of Health, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), and local officials from Harford and Cecil Counties. This evaluative training session, commonly referred to as PBEX, assessed the response capabilities of the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone surrounding the facility in Delta, Pa. Preliminary findings from FEMA indicated MDEM had successfully demonstrated all of the graded criteria. Within 90 days, FEMA will send its evaluation to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for use in licensing decisions. The final report will be available to the public approximately 120 days after the exercise.
“Through exercises like PBEX, we not only measure our preparedness but also sharpen our ability to respond and protect communities during emergencies,” stated Maryland Secretary of Emergency Management, Russ Strickland. “Training remains a priority to ensure our collaboration with regional, federal, State, and local partners is seamless. PBEX tests our capabilities in high-stress, time-sensitive conditions that demand precision, coordination, and endurance, challenging our personnel to operate at the edge of their limits so they’re ready for any crisis.”
The graded exercise is designed to simulate an event at the plant which ultimately results in radiation release. As the scenario progressed, event participants practiced the protective emergency measures that are needed to protect residents in Hartford and Cecil counties, which are located near the energy center, in the event of an emergency. While this type of scenario is unlikely to occur, it is critical that public safety systems are trained and ready to respond to radiological hazards.
As part of the graded exercise, state and local partners conducted medical service drills on April 22 at Christiana Union Hospital and on April 23 at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center. These drills included EMS assessment, treatment, and transport of patients, as well as hospital emergency department reception, decontamination, and treatment of injured individuals. In coordination with these efforts, Cecil County conducted its drills on the evening of April 22, focusing on emergency worker and vehicle decontamination and radiological monitoring.
Following the plume phase, MDEM and its partners conducted additional drills on Apr 29, 2026 focused on critical community response tasks, including the activation of reception centers in Hartford and Cecil Counties at Fallston and Rising Sun High Schools respectively. Drills also included school evacuation procedures, and emergency worker monitoring and decontamination. In addition to the graded exercise and related drills, MDEM staff participated in two dress rehearsals with state and local partners earlier this year.
Exercises like PBEX and SAREX reflect MDEM’s continued commitment to training excellence, ensuring personnel and partners remain prepared to respond effectively to emergencies across the State.
MDEM reminds Maryland residents and visitors to always have multiple ways to receive alerts. Marylanders are also encouraged to install the MdReady WebApp, which gives instant access to a wide array of emergency notifications and preparedness information to residents and visitors alike. To install the WebApp, users can visit MdReady.maryland.gov and follow the prompt to easily add the MdReady shortcut to a mobile device home screen.
For more information, residents can also go to MDEM’s website at mdem.maryland.gov, and follow MDEM’s social media feeds X (Twitter) (@MDMEMA), Facebook (facebook.com/MDMEMA), Instagram (instagram.com/mdmema), Linkedin (linkedin.com/company/maryland-department-of-emergency-management), Threads (threads.net/@mdmema) and Bluesky (@mdmema.bsky.social).