New Mexico Close To Repossessing Supercomputer

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez's administration is close to taking back the state's $11 million supercomputer known as Encanto from the nonprofit group set up to operate it.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that the administration told the New Mexico Computing Applications Center it plans to repossess the machine because the group can't pay its bills or perform necessary upkeep.

The state may sell the supercomputer or find another group to operate it.

State Information Technology Secretary Darryl Ackley said in a June 20 letter to Applications Center CEO Tom Bowles that the center owes nearly $1.25 million.

Applications Center CEO Tom Bowles says he has been negotiating with the state's three research universities to locate portions of the supercomputer at each campus.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.