False Alarm: Emergency Alert for Fermi 2 Nuclear Plant Sent by Mistake During Drill

An emergency message about the Fermi 2 nuclear power plant in Monroe County, Michigan, went out by mistake Thursday morning, Nov. 5, during a drill. Officials say there was no emergency at the plant.

The Michigan State Police First District said in a post on X at 11:22 a.m. that the message “was accidentally sent out to opt-in subscribers of the Monroe County Everidge alert system this morning.” The agency added, “The message has since been retracted. This was a drill.”

“THERE IS NO EMERGENCY at Fermi II,” Lt. Rene Gonzalez, the First District’s public information officer, said in a statement reported by WTOL 11.

WTOL reported that the alert went to opt-in subscribers of Monroe County’s Everbridge notification system as part of a scheduled drill. Everbridge is the system the county uses to send notices to people who sign up. The State Police post spells it “Everidge.”

Only people who had signed up for Monroe County’s alerts received the message. None of the sources say it went out as a broader wireless emergency alert to all phones in the area.

Officials have not said how many people got the alert, how long it was active, or what it said. State Police said more information is expected soon.

About Fermi 2

Fermi 2 is operated by DTE Energy and is located in Frenchtown Township, Monroe County. MLive reported that the plant supplies 20 percent of the power DTE generates.

The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division’s 2026 exercise calendar lists several Fermi II exercises this fall: Drill #1 on Oct. 20, Drill #2 on Nov. 4, and a graded exercise on Nov. 17. Officials have not said which drill the mistaken message was part of.

Toledo stations WTOL 11 and 13abc both reported the State Police statement Thursday morning.

The Fostoria Free Press will update this story if Michigan State Police, Monroe County Emergency Management or DTE Energy release more details.