Dry run of nuclear emergency at Point Lepreau on Tuesday

It's just a test, but one on a scale not seen before in New Brunswick.

NBPower and the department of public safety, inconjunction with the Emergency Measures Organization (EMO), are running a full scalenuclear emergency response plan Tuesday and Wednesday.

The eventwill include a test evacuation of over 200 people from the Saint John and St. George areas to a designated site, and the involvement of ambulance services, police and other first responders.

At a news conference on Monday, Public Safety Minister Stephen Horsman said these kinds of exercises, relating to Point Lepreau,happen every three years, though not on this level.

"It's a procedure for licensing in nuclear power. We want to make sure we are preparedfor any emergencies that might occur."

NBPower President and Chief Executive Officer, Gaetan Thomas, said the goal is to make sure that "we all learn from this exercise so we are preparedfor the unlikely, low probabilityof a nuclear event."

He said forthe first time there will be an actual evacuation component to the exercise.

"We do not want anyone to panic," Thomas said. "It isa planned exercise for the next two days."