Current:Home > MyUS nuclear repository is among the federally owned spots identified for renewable energy projects -MoneyMatrix
US nuclear repository is among the federally owned spots identified for renewable energy projects
View
Date:2025-04-15 12:58:01
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Energy announced Tuesday that it is teaming up with yet another energy company as part of a mission to transform portions of government-owned property once used for the nation’s nuclear weapons program into prime real estate for renewable energy endeavors.
The federal agency will be negotiating a lease agreement with Florida-based NextEra Energy Resources Development for nearly 3 square miles (7.77 square kilometers) of land surrounding the nation’s only underground repository for nuclear waste.
The project at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New Mexico is the latest to be announced by the Energy Department, which has identified more than 50 square miles (129.50 square kilometers) of government land that can be used for constructing solar arrays and battery storage systems that can supply utilities with emissions-free electricity.
Other lease agreements already are being negotiated for projects stretching from the Hanford Site in Washington state, where the U.S. produced plutonium, to national laboratories and other sites in Idaho, Nevada and South Carolina.
Andrew Mayock with the White House Council on Environmental Quality on Tuesday echoed a statement made earlier this year when the first negotiations were announced. He said federal agencies are using their scale and purchasing power to support the growth of the clean energy industry.
“We will spur new clean electricity production, which is good for our climate, our economy, and our national security,” he said.
At the nuclear repository in New Mexico, federal officials say there is potential to install at least 150 megawatts of solar and another 100 megawatts of storage.
While the amount of energy generated by NextEra at the WIPP site would be more than enough to meet the needs of the repository, none would feed directly into government operations there. Officials said the energy from the solar array would be sold to Xcel Energy by NextEra and put into the utility’s distribution system.
Xcel serves customers in parts of New Mexico and Texas, as well as other states.
Officials said there is no estimate of when ground could be broken, saying engineering and planning work would be needed once a lease is signed and regulatory approvals would be required.
The largest of the so called cleanup-to-clean-energy projects is slated for the Hanford Site, where Hecate Energy LLC has plans to deliver a gigawatt-scale system that would span thousands of acres on the southeastern edge of the property. It could be several years before that project comes online.
veryGood! (251)
Related
- The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees
- Shelters for migrants are filling up across Germany as attitudes toward the newcomers harden
- Watch Ronald Acuna Jr.'s epic celebration as he becomes first member of MLB's 40-70 club
- Russia accuses US of promoting ties between Israel and Arabs before Israeli-Palestinian peace deal
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- Inspired by llamas, the desert and Mother Earth, these craftswomen weave sacred textiles
- White Sox executive named Perfect Game's new commissioner: 'I want to make a difference'
- Roger Waters of Pink Floyd mocked musician's relative who died in Holocaust, report claims
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Dozens of people arrested in Philadelphia after stores are ransacked across the city
Ranking
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Did AI write this film? 'The Creator' offers a muddled plea for human-robot harmony
- In UAW strike, Trump pretends to support workers. He's used to stabbing them in the back.
- Long a city that embraced cars, Paris is seeing a new kind of road rage: Bike-lane traffic jams
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- New bill seeks to pressure police nationwide to take inventory of untested rape kits or lose funding
- Powerball jackpot soars to $925 million ahead of next drawing
- Mel Tucker crossed an obvious line. How did he think this would end?
Recommendation
Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
Maine community searching for Broadway, a pet cow who's been missing nearly a week
Damian Lillard addresses Trail Blazers-Bucks trade in 'Farewell' song
The centuries-old card game of bridge offers a sharp contrast to esports at the Asian Games
Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'
Travis King, the U.S. soldier who crossed South Korea's border into North Korea, is back in U.S.
Man who accosted former Rep. Lee Zeldin at campaign stop pleads guilty in federal case
Guardians fans say goodbye to Tito, and Terry Francona gives them a parting message