The U.S. Department of Energy announced on July 28 the selection of Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Idaho as potential host states for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses, a new federal effort to strengthen and modernize the nation's nuclear fuel cycle. The five states were chosen after DOE reviewed 28 applications from 26 states.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright signed memorandums of understanding with each of the five states to continue exploring opportunities to host the campuses. The proposed sites are designed to support activities across the full nuclear fuel lifecycle, including fuel fabrication, enrichment, reprocessing of used nuclear fuel, and final disposition of used fuel. Depending on state priorities, campuses may also host advanced reactor deployment, power generation, advanced manufacturing, and co-located data centers.
DOE estimates the campuses have the potential to attract 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 once a campus is established. States submitted statements of interest earlier this year, outlining how a campus would advance workforce development, infrastructure investment, or technology leadership. States that move forward will sign formal hosting agreements with DOE at a later date.
"These campuses will be massive generators of economic growth, create thousands of high-paying jobs, and be crucial to unleashing America's nuclear renaissance," Wright said.
The announcement follows other recent federal commitments to the nuclear fuel supply chain, including contracts awarded earlier this year to expand domestic uranium enrichment and high-assay low-enriched uranium production, an area the government has prioritized to reduce reliance on foreign sources of nuclear fuel.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy - https://www.energy.gov/articles/nuclear-lifecycle-innovation-campuses-contenders-announced