An effort to replace diesel vehicles and equipment at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant with electrical and battery-operated components is underway, part of a broader goal of improving airflow in the underground nuclear waste repository.
Available air in the underground, where low-level nuclear was is permanently disposed of, became restricted following an accidental radiological release in 2014 that contaminated parts of the mine.
WIPP officials took steps in the years following the event, beginning work on new utility shaft, planning to restart a major ventilation fan and moving forward with a multi-million-dollar rebuild of the facilities ventilation system known as the Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System (SSCVS).