U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz stated his department’s commitment to reopening the federal government’s underground nuclear waste repository in New Mexico.”Moniz made assurances to a U.S. Senate subcommittee during a hearing Wednesday in Washington, D.C. He says reopening the troubled facility would be done safety, with worker safety in mind.

A container stored at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant leaked in February 2014. The radioactive release forced the repository to close indefinitely.

Federal officials have said it could take years and more than a half-billion dollars for full operations to resume at WIPP.” [The Washington Post]

French oil and gas major Total has been given clearance to develop two gas fields north-west of the Shetland Islands. “The company said the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) had approved field development plans for its Edradour/Glenlivet project.

The project is expected to add reserves equivalent to more than 65 million barrels of oil. Total has an 80% share in the project, with partner Dong Energy owning 20%. The Edradour gas field is located about 75km north-west of the Shetland Islands.” [BBC News]

The state of New Jersey will fund more than a dozen solar and wind projects to help improve reliability by providing backup energy-storage systems for the electricity they produce. “These first-ever awards by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities will give nearly $3 million to 13 projects scattered around the state, all of which will supply money to existing solar energy systems.

The Atlantic County Utilities Authority grant also will be linked to the facility’s wind system, a familiar sight to tourists arriving at the casino resort.” [NJ Spotlight]