Los Alamos power line project alternatives unreliable, NNSA says

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) officially said alternatives to construction of a new 14-mile powerline would not be a “reliable or redundant” electrical upgrade for Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, according to its floodplain statement of findings.

The document outlined alternatives, including using wind, solar, a gas turbine, and even a small modular reactor, and included route alternatives such as a different location or an underground line.

The report said while LANL managing and operating contractor Triad Nuclear Security looked into alternatives and impacts to local wildlife and existing infrastructure, particularly those proposed in an environmental assessment. But the alternatives would “not provide a reliable or redundant transition line for LANL and Los Alamos County for their respective operations,” according to the findings by NNSA. 

Thom Mason, the lab’s director, has said before the project, named the Electric Power Capacity Upgrade (EPCU) project, was necessary to power a new supercomputer coming to Los Alamos in 2027 since by that time, “our demand” for electricity “will be greater than our supply.” However, the written floodplain assessment complies with the executive order from 1977, saying any projects in floodplains and wetlands require an environmental review.

The EPCU is a high-voltage powerline that would run 14 miles through the Caja del Rio Plateau, and has thereby become a point of contention for the community surrounding Los Alamos, leading to protests and intervention. 

In August, the Los Alamos Daily Post published a letter by a White Rock resident saying the lab and NNSA did not adequately notify the public of the public comment period to precede the findings statement. In response, a spokesperson for NNSA spoke to the Exchange Monitor and listed the places that interested parties could comment on the project.