Red Wing Police Respond After Nuclear Power Plant Reports Drones

Red Wing, MN (KROC-AM News) - A southeastern Minnesota law enforcement agency is reporting an encounter with mysterious drones.

A news release issued Thursday afternoon by the Red Wing Police Department indicates Goodhue County Sheriff's Office dispatchers received a report around 6:30 PM Wednesday from the Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant. The report indicated four to five drones had been seen flying around the area of the Xcel Energy facility.

The news release says Red Wing Police and officers from the Prairie Island Tribal Police Department responded to the report and observed two drones flying around the power plant and the nearby Lock and Dam 3 on the Mississippi River. It states that the officers monitored the drones until they were no longer seen in the area.

Red Wing police reported that the officers were unable to locate the person or persons operating the drones. The news release adds that there is no active threat to the public and the incident is not currently under active investigation by the Red Wing Police Department.

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Under Federal Aviation Administration regulations, drones are prohibited from flying over nuclear power plants and other "sensitive facilities." The operators of nuclear power plants are requested to report drone sightings to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.