ECA Update: DOE ISSUES RFQ FOR INL CLEANUP TO CLEAN ENERGY; and more
Published: Fri, 03/01/24
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
DOE ISSUES REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS AT INL
DOE-NE | 03/01/2024
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today issued a
request for qualifications (RFQ) to identify and evaluate qualified clean energy developers interested in leasing DOE-owned land for commercial clean energy projects within the 890-square-mile Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site. This RFQ marks the next phase of DOE’s Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative to increase clean energy production by making DOE land available for potential carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) projects. DOE’s Cleanup to
Clean Energy initiative aims to achieve President Biden’s goal for agencies to use their properties for the development of new clean electricity generation in support of the Administration’s clean energy and climate goals.
“The Cleanup to Clean Energy Initiative offers an exciting opportunity for private industry to repurpose DOE-owned lands previously used to protect our national security for nuclear and other clean energy projects,” said Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dr. Kathryn Huff. “This initiative underscores DOE’s commitment to the Administration's
goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”
Through this RFQ, DOE is soliciting proposals from private developers
interested in entering into a long-term lease agreement for CFE generation on the INL site. Potential projects could include nuclear energy, wind, solar, geothermal, net-zero microgrids, energy storage, and other clean energy technologies. Proposals must be submitted to DOE no later than 3:00 pm MT on April 1, 2024.
DOE plans to select one or more qualified applicants to enter into a long-term lease agreement. DOE also hopes to open this RFQ annually to solicit CFE projects that become generation ready.
This announcement follows a request for information (RFI), which closed in December 2023. The RFI invited industry, government, Tribes, and community members to comment on the potential use of INL land for CFE projects. DOE also held a Cleanup to Clean Energy Information Day at INL, which invited interested parties, Tribes, and community members to learn more about the initiative, RFI, and
INL site.
More information on Cleanup to Clean Energy can be found here. Read full release here.
NEW NUCLEAR FORUM
REGISTRATION IS LIVE FOR ECA's New Nuclear Forum: Building Nuclear Partnerships and Projects, May 8-9, 2024 in Kennewick,
WA
ECA is excited to be hosting its third New Nuclear Forum, the only meeting designed to bring together DOE, federal, state, local and tribal governments and policymakers with developers, utilities,
regulators, industry, and academia to identify opportunities, challenges and to build the partnerships necessary to support nuclear development.
Communities across the country are considering nuclear projects for many reasons - from diversifying regional economies, creating clean energy jobs or meeting carbon reduction goals, to increasing energy security and rebuilding the U.S. supply chain. Some communities have a familiarity with nuclear energy projects, while others are just beginning to evaluate potential interest. The ECA
Forum is designed to enable shared learning so that local, State and Tribal governments evaluating nuclear projects can be meaningfully engaged - and prepared - to match the strengths and needs of their communities with new nuclear opportunities.
QUESTIONS? For any questions, comments, or to learn more about the ECA New Nuclear Forums, please contact Kara Colton,
ECA Director of Nuclear Policy, at kara.colton@energyca.org or Faith Sanchez, ECA Program Director, at faiths@energyca.org.
COMMUNITY UDPATE
RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY MARKS COMPLETION OF FIRST PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION OF CHILD CARE CENTER
Los Alamos National Laboratory | 02/29/2024
Members of the Triad National Security LLC Board of Directors joined the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, Laboratory management, community leaders and staff from Bilingual Montessori School of White Rock for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Feb. 27 at the soon-to-open child care facility at 3500 Trinity Drive in Los Alamos.
The event marked the completion of the first stage of construction of the center. Also in attendance were NNSA Los Alamos Field Office Manager Ted Wyka, and Elizabeth Groginsky, New Mexico secretary for early
childhood education.
Triad parent entity the University of California provided $2 million for remodeling and furnishings at the
center, and Triad's Board of Directors has pledged ongoing financial support for its operations, which will be run by Bilingual Montessori School. The center is intended to serve approximately 150 children, with priority given to Lab employees, especially those whose children presently lack care. Read the project announcement for more details.
Odalys
González, director of BMS, cut the ribbon along with Jay Sures, chair of the Triad Board of Directors. González thanked the University of California and Triad for their investments, and Laboratory leadership for their support and partnership.
HOUSE APPROVES BIPARTISAN BILL AIMED AT BOLSTERING NUCLEAR ENERGY
The Hill | 02/28/2024
The House on Wednesday evening approved bipartisan legislation that aims to bolster nuclear energy.
The vote was 365-36, with one additional lawmaker voting present.
All of the “no” votes
were Democrats and included several members of the Progressive Caucus. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) voted present.
The legislation aims to bolster the U.S.’s nuclear energy production by speeding up environmental reviews for new nuclear reactors and reducing fees that applicants for advanced nuclear reactor licenses must pay.
It would also extend a law that limits the industry’s legal liability for nuclear accidents by 40 years.
In addition, the bill would also seek to bolster nuclear approvals by requiring “efficient, timely, and predictable reviews and proceeding” for licensing reactors.
“The Atomic Energy Advancement Act restores American leadership in nuclear energy and technology which is critical to our economic and national security. I’m proud to lead the most significant update to nuclear energy policy in the United States in over a generation,” Duncan said in a written statement on its passage.
In coordination with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), ECA hosted the first in a new series of educational webinars, "Advanced Nuclear Technology Deployment: An Introductory Conversation with U.S. DOE & U.S. NRC". ECA's Director of Nuclear Policy, Kara Colton, along with Dr. Kathryn
Huff, Assistant Secretary, Office of Nuclear Energy, DOE and John Lubinski, Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, NRC discussed advanced reactor development, demonstrations, and deployments.
As we near the end of Black History Month, this week’s podcast features the story of the Scarboro 85. In August 1955, 85 young African American students entered all-white classrooms in the Oak Ridge High School and the Robertsville Junior High School in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This desegregation
stands as an important milestone in American civil rights history.
DISPOSAL DRIVES CLEANUP: RE-ENERGIZING MOMENTUM FOR DISPOSAL SOLUTIONS FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE
This report calls on the Department of Energy to launch the initiative to develop the actual waste disposition approaches. The Department could potentially save hundreds of billions of dollars in cleanup costs by using its available tools and implementing the report’s recommendations.
Interactive guide for communities and governments to help navigate nuclear waste cleanup
The Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) recently released the Guide to Successful Environmental Cleanup, an interactive online resource that provides frequently asked questions, case studies, and recommendations regarding nuclear waste cleanup.
To assist local government officials, their communities, and federal agencies in deciphering
the complexities of the environmental cleanup process, ECA developed this guide to facilitate future successful cleanups.
Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities,
legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org.
Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles
ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national
laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local governments.
