Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Officials hear details of fuel rod shipments

Curry County Commissioners got details of regular shipments of spent radioactive fuel rods that will be making their way through Curry County starting in mid to late 2026.

At their regular Tuesday meeting commissioners heard from Ed Mayer, Program Director from Holtec International, the company that will be handling the twice-a-month rail shipments through Curry and Roosevelt counties on the way to Lea County and a temporary storage facility.

Railroad is the only way the shipments will be handled, a train made up of two locomotives, several cars holding the strong containers and a security team car at the end.

“We have a history of success,” Mayer said of his company working with spent radioactive materials, “A history of 60 years.”

District 2 commissioner Tom Martin asked Mayer if the trains would be stopping in Clovis.

“The trains won’t be stopping anywhere,” Mayer said.

District 4 commissioner Seth Martin said he knows a rail employee who has made runs over the tracks that run from Clovis, through Portales, through Roswell and on in to Eddy and Lea county and they are in poor condition.

Mayer told Martin and the other commissioners work will be done on those tracks to improve them.

In other business commissioners heard from New Mexico Department of Transportation District 2 superintendent Francisco Sanchez about projects planned for the Curry County area.

A $42 million project is set for a stretch of US 60/70/84 running from Prince Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. It is set to be released for bids in December.

A $2.5 million rehabilitation project for the bridge at the main gate of Cannon Air Force base is planned for next year as is a $3.5 million project for the intersection of US 60 and CR N.

In speaking of roads, Curry County roads superintendent Walon Jones described several projects in the future that are covered by about $760,000 in state funds bolstered by $40,000 in county funds.

As the meeting came to a close there was an opportunity for commissioners to talk about agenda items they’d like to see addressed at future meetings.

District 5 commissioner Robert Thornton was concerned about the radioactive waste trains moving through Curry County and no training being offered on what to do if there was an accident.

Thornton said he wanted to send a letter requesting formal standard operating procedures and training for first responders on how to deal with an accident involving such trains.

“Something that says, ‘This is what we do,’ not just ‘Figure it out,’” Thornton said.

 
 
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