Tennessee selected as finalist to potentially accept nuclear waste in exchange for federal assistance developing nuclear energy

Tennessee selected as finalist to potentially accept nuclear waste in exchange for federal assistance developing nuclear energy

Tennessee was one of five states selected to potentially accept nuclear waste from around the country in exchange for federal assistance, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

What This Story Is About

- Tennessee is one of five states selected to potentially accept nuclear waste from around the country in exchange for federal assistance, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Why It Matters

- The DOE said these campuses could bring up to $50 billion in capital investment, generate as much as $10 billion in state and local tax revenue and create nearly 25,000 jobs.

What Happens Next

- “States that choose to pursue hosting an innovation campus will sign hosting agreements with the Department at a later date,” the DOE said.

For Context

- Tennessee is home to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which enriched uranium during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project, the U.S. program that developed the atomic bomb.

Catch Up

- The DOE invited states to submit statements of interest and feedback on the structure of Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Tennessee is one of five states selected to potentially accept nuclear waste from around the country in exchange for federal assistance developing nuclear energy, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

The DOE announced Tuesday that Tennessee, Utah, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Idaho were selected as potential hosts for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses.

“Earlier this year, DOE invited states to submit clear statements of interest and constructive feedback on the structure of the Innovation Campuses," the DOE said. “In their submissions, states outlined how a campus would advance goals such as workforce development, infrastructure investment, economic diversification, or technology leadership and described the scope of activities they envision hosting.”

The selection of the five states comes after the DOE reviewed 28 applications from 26 states offering to be a part of the program. Those five states signed Memorandums of Understanding with U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to “continue exploring opportunities to host Innovation Campuses.”

“I’m pleased to announce that after reviewing 28 applications from 26 states, the Energy Department has selected five initial contenders to further explore building Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses,” Wright said. “These campuses will be massive generators of economic growth, create thousands of high-paying jobs, and be crucial to unleashing America’s nuclear renaissance. The innovative concept is a direct result of President Trump’s leadership and ambitious directives to restore the domestic nuclear fuel cycle and get America’s nuclear industry growing again.”

Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses are “a new effort to strengthen and modernize the nation’s full nuclear fuel cycle” and will “attract significant investment, expand domestic manufacturing, and create thousands of new high-paying jobs in their respective regions,” according to the DOE.

The DOE said the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses are meant to “support activities across the full nuclear fuel lifecycle.” This includes fuel fabrication, enrichment, reprocessing used nuclear fuel and final disposition of used nuclear fuel.

The campuses could also host advanced reactor deployment, power generation, advanced manufacturing and co-located data centers, depending on the state’s priorities and regional capabilities, the DOE said.

“As the global epicenter of nuclear energy, Tennessee is honored to be selected as a potential host for a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “As our state answered the call during the Manhattan Project and helped shape the course of history, Tennessee stands ready once again to advance the safe, reliable energy solutions our nation depends on. I thank President Trump and Secretary Wright for their leadership as we strengthen America’s energy dominance and create new opportunities for Tennesseans.”

Dealing with nuclear waste and capabilities would not be new to Tennessee. It is home to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which enriched uranium during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project, the U.S. program that developed the atomic bomb.

The DOE said these campuses could bring up to $50 billion in capital investment, generate as much as $10 billion in state and local tax revenue and create nearly 25,000 jobs.

“States that choose to pursue hosting an innovation campus will sign hosting agreements with the Department at a later date,” the DOE said.

Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.