US Government Leases Nuclear Site for Renewable Energy Projects

The Department of Energy partners with NextEra Energy to transform a nuclear waste site in New Mexico into a solar energy hub.

The U.S. Department of Energy is leasing nearly 3 square miles of land around the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico for renewable energy development.
NextEra Energy Resources Development plans to install 150 megawatts of solar power and 100 megawatts of battery storage at the site.
Energy generated will be sold to Xcel Energy and integrated into its distribution system, serving customers in New Mexico and Texas.
The initiative is part of a broader federal effort to repurpose over 50 square miles of government land for clean energy projects.
Similar renewable energy projects are planned for other former nuclear sites, including the Hanford Site in Washington state, Idaho, Nevada, and South Carolina.