Workers at the federal government's nuclear waste repository in southern New Mexico are installing a temporary ventilation system that will increase airflow in the underground facility.
The system will include two above-ground filter units and fans that will be connected to ductwork that feeds the underground portions of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.
The plant has been closed for more than a year following a radiation release that stemmed from a chemical reaction among waste improperly packed inside a drum at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Since the February 2014 mishap, all air exiting the underground passes through filters. Ventilation of the underground is reduced based on the filter capacity.
Officials say more airflow will allow more workers to be in the underground at any given time.
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