New Mexico nuclear waste repository to use electric vehicles

CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Energy's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico has announced plans to replace diesel vehicles and equipment with electrical and battery-operated components as part of a larger effort to improve airflow in the underground nuclear waste repository. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is the only repository for nuclear waste disposal in the U.S. Carlsbad Nuclear Task Force Chair John Heaton said the group is working on multiple projects to enhance workforce safety, including converting all vehicles to electric. Heaton said reducing diesel equipment could also cut down on risks like fires or environmental contamination.