NNSA announced its findings today that construction of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Electrical Power Capacity Upgrade Project (DOE/EA-2199) would yield no significant impact to the environment.
National Nuclear Security Administration
August 12, 2025
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Albuquerque, N.M. – The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) announced its findings today that construction of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Electrical Power Capacity Upgrade Project (DOE/EA-2199) would yield no significant impact to the environment.
The transmission line installation project would cross lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Santa Fe National Service (SFNF).
“Our Los Alamos Field Office worked very closely with SFNF and BLM to assess the impacts of this project,” said NNSA Los Alamos Field Office Manager Ted Wyka. “Over the five years since we started looking at this project, we engaged often with our Tribal neighbors for input and made changes as a result. I cannot overstate the importance of this project to our national security mission, which increasingly relies on sufficient and reliable energy sources and energy transmission infrastructure.”
The EA analyzed the construction and operation of a new 115 kilovolt (kV) power transmission line to upgrade Los Alamos National Laboratory’s (LANL) existing electrical infrastructure. Electrical power supply forecasts project that existing transmission lines serving LANL and Los Alamos County will reach capacity in 2027. This jeopardizes the electrical power supply necessary to meet mission requirements.
NNSA, U.S. Forest Service, SFNF, and the BLM Taos Field Office coordinated to assess the impacts of the project. Additionally, the participating agencies worked with neighboring Tribes and stakeholders on a Memorandum of Agreement to avoid or mitigate potential impacts from the project.
The EA includes amendments to the 2022 Forest Plan for the Santa Fe National Forest that would allow for the designation of a utility corridor and permanent easement on SFNF-administered lands.
The Los Alamos National Laboratory Electrical Power Capacity Upgrade Project (DOE/EA-2199) and Finding of No Significant Impact are available at: https://www.energy.gov/nepa/doeea-2199-los-alamos-national-laboratory-electrical-power-capacity-upgrade-project.