Royal Navy: Nuclear siren due to sound at Portsmouth Naval Base - when and why

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A nuclear siren is due to sound at HMNB Portsmouth as part of statutory routine tests.

The alarm will be raised at 9.30am tomorrow morning (October 30) and is known to be heard throughout parts of the city. It lasts for roughly one minute.

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The statutory tests are part of the Royal Navy’s nuclear accident response plan for the naval base. These routine tests and the plan is in accordance with regulations from Portsmouth City Council and Gosport Borough Council. This is outlined in the local authorities’ nuclear safety plan.

Sirens are sounded three times a year. The routine and regular procedures are carried out on the last Wednesday of February, June and October.

As previously reported in The News, a statement from HMNB Portsmouth in June said: “It is a statutory requirement to test the alarm three times a year and this test is being conducted in agreement with Portsmouth and Gosport local authorities. The two-tone siren will be sounded for one minute for the test.”

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