Leaders Say East Tennessee Is Becoming a National Hub for Advanced Nuclear Energy
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — Federal officials and nuclear industry leaders gathered in Oak Ridge on Tuesday to spotlight approximately $15 billion in ongoing nuclear energy projects that they say will help cement the city’s role as one of the nation’s premier nuclear technology centers.
The investments span nearly every stage of the nuclear fuel and energy production cycle, including uranium enrichment, fuel fabrication, advanced reactors, micro-reactors and waste recycling.
Officials estimate the projects could generate approximately 10,000 construction and permanent jobs across the region over the next five years.
“This is a nuclear hub in Oak Ridge, Tennessee,” said Tim Walsh, assistant secretary for the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management.
Walsh described the effort as an example of the agency’s mission to “clean up the past to power the future,” noting many of the new developments are being built on land once used during the Manhattan Project.
Multi-Billion-Dollar Investments Across Oak Ridge
Among the projects highlighted during Tuesday’s tour was a proposed $5 billion uranium enrichment facility from Orano.
The company plans to build the advanced enrichment plant on 624 acres transferred from the Department of Energy. Officials say the project is intended to strengthen domestic uranium production and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers, particularly Russia.
Another major development is TRISO-X, a subsidiary of X-Energy, which will convert enriched uranium into specialized TRISO nuclear fuel. Company officials estimate the facilities could support about 1,000 jobs in Oak Ridge.
Micro-Reactor Technology Moving Forward
Nuclear startup Radiant is developing a one-megawatt micro-reactor designed to provide power in remote areas, military installations and off-grid locations.
Company officials said a single reactor could supply electricity for about 1,000 homes for up to five years without refueling.
Radiant recently received support through the Army’s Janus program and plans to fuel reactors in Oak Ridge before eventually relocating assembly operations there by late 2028.
Advanced Reactors Coming to Tennessee
Officials also highlighted Kairos Power’s Hermes reactor project, an advanced molten-salt reactor being developed in partnership with TVA and Google.
The demonstration reactor is expected to support future commercial deployments and contribute additional carbon-free electricity to the power grid.
Walsh also pointed to the nearby Clinch River nuclear project, part of a broader U.S.-Japan initiative that could bring multiple new reactors to Tennessee and Alabama in the coming years.
Economic Impact Expected for Years
Officials stressed that nearly all of the announced investments are coming from private industry, with federal funding largely limited to grants and startup assistance.
Community leaders expect the projects to create a steady stream of construction work throughout the next decade before transitioning to long-term operations jobs.
Supporters also pointed to workforce development programs involving Tennessee Tech, the University of Tennessee, and local community colleges that are helping prepare workers for careers in the growing nuclear industry.
Walsh said the investments represent exactly what federal cleanup efforts in Oak Ridge were designed to achieve.
“The whole point of the Office of Environmental Management was to restore the sites for community reuse and economic development,” he said.
Officials say Tennessee’s workforce, pro-nuclear policies and community support helped attract several of the projects over competing locations in other states.
