A DOE official may share details about the National Nuclear Security Administration’s planned takeover of the Savannah River Site in 2025 during a public meeting on Tuesday, the official said Monday.
That was the word from the No. 2 DOE Office of Environmental Management field office manager for Savannah River, Edwin Deshong, during a Monday site overview for the Savannah River Site Citizens Advisory Board.
DeShong said federal bosses at the Savannah River Site filed their report on the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) plans in June. The report itself is not publicly available yet, a DOE spokesperson said Monday in an email to the Exchange Monitor.
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has expanded its nuclear weapons-related work at the complex in recent times and, given plans for plutonium pits production at Savannah River, DOE decided NNSA should take over as landlord from the Office of Environmental Management.
On an issue not tied to nuclear weapons or cleanup, DeShong also said Savannah River is making thousands of acres available within the 310-square mile property for “clean energy” development, under a DOE-wide initiative.
While solar power was mentioned during Monday’s meeting, a DOE spokesperson said via email the land, spread across five parcels, could be available for various types of non-carbon emitting power generation.
DOE said a few weeks ago there will be an industry day this Friday in Washington starting at 10 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss leasing some of DOE’s two million acres of land for clean energy development, which could include nuclear power.
Agency managers said they are actively discussing clean energy options with Dominion Energy in South Carolina.
