OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WOKI) — The U.S. Department of Energy is highlighting Oak Ridge as a national leader in the redevelopment of former federal nuclear sites into a growing center for energy production, advanced manufacturing, and economic growth.
At the recent Nuclear Opportunities Workshop in Knoxville, Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management Assistant Secretary Tim Walsh showcased the success of the Oak Ridge American Energy Hub, an initiative aimed at transforming former Manhattan Project and Cold War properties into engines of economic development and energy innovation.
According to DOE officials, the project has already transferred more than 2,500 acres of federal land in Oak Ridge for economic reuse, with additional property expected to be made available in the future.
Those redevelopment efforts have helped attract approximately $10 billion in planned private-sector investment and are expected to create thousands of jobs across the region.
“Our work is transforming sites that were instrumental in powering and protecting our nation decades ago and making it possible for them to do it again,” Walsh said. “These efforts are paving the way for projects and investments on a scale unseen since these sites were first constructed.”
Major Nuclear Companies Expanding in Oak Ridge
The Oak Ridge Energy Hub is attracting companies representing nearly every stage of the nuclear fuel and energy production cycle.
Among the projects announced:
- Orano USA plans a uranium enrichment facility.
- BWXT is supporting national security fuel enrichment efforts.
- LIS Technologies is developing laser enrichment technology.
- TRISO-X is producing fuel for next-generation reactors.
- Kairos Power is constructing advanced reactor technology.
- Radiant Nuclear plans a microreactor manufacturing facility.
- Oklo Inc. has announced plans for a nuclear fuel recycling operation.
Officials say these projects position East Tennessee at the forefront of America’s renewed focus on nuclear energy development.
State Support Fueling Growth
State leaders have also invested heavily in the industry’s expansion.
Governor Bill Lee launched Tennessee’s Nuclear Energy Fund in 2023, and the state has since committed $95 million toward workforce training, infrastructure improvements, and recruiting nuclear-related businesses.
“Tennessee is leading America’s nuclear renaissance because we’ve built an unmatched ecosystem of innovation, investment, and opportunity,” Lee said.
Federal officials also credited support from Tennessee’s congressional delegation, including Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, along with Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, for helping advance the initiative.
Cleanup Efforts Made Development Possible
The economic redevelopment follows years of environmental cleanup work by the Department of Energy and contractor United Cleanup Oak Ridge.
Officials say the effort included:
- Demolishing more than 500 former facilities
- Removing structures covering the equivalent of 225 football fields
- Excavating more than 50,000 dump truck loads of soil
The former government-owned uranium enrichment complex has since been transformed into a privately operated industrial park that continues attracting major energy investments.
DOE officials say the Oak Ridge model demonstrates how former federal properties can be repurposed to support energy independence, economic development, and the nation’s growing demand for electricity.
