NNSA News:
The U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) proposes to install a new battery bank to provide backup power to the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test (DARHT) facility in the event that maintenance is needed.
Triad proposes to install up to four 8-megawatt-hour (MWh) batteries approximately 100 yards from the main DARHT facility (total of 32 MWh).
This work would require excavating in a previously disturbed area along the access road just before the turnoff for DARHT to create a level area to build a concrete base. Excavation and trenching would occur between the switchgear and the batteries for approximately 225 feet and a maximum of 36 inches deep.
The footprint for the installation of up to four batteries is 70 by 50 feet, totaling 3,500 square feet. The access road will be approximately 88 feet long by 18 feet wide, totaling 1,584 square feet. Total disturbance for the site during construction is expected to be approximately 10,000 square feet. An overhead power line would be built to supply power from the battery to the DARHT facility.
No special construction parameters exist other than favorable weather conditions for excavation, concrete pours, and crane operation for the assembly of the batteries. It is anticipated that the construction phase of the project would take approximately 6.5 months to complete.
The Categorical Exclusion can be accessed online at:Â https://www.energy.gov/nepa/articles/cx-270697-nepa-coverage-darht-battery-power-quality-improvement-project.
