Oak Ridge Multibillion Dollar Nuclear Project: Largest Investment in Tennessee History (2024)

Oak Ridge Multibillion Dollar Nuclear Project: Largest Investment in Tennessee History (1)

From left: State Reps. Jason Zachary and John Ragan, Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter, Roane County Executive Wade Creswell, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Orano USA President and CEO Jean-Luc Palayer, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, State Sen. Ken Yager, Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, Tennessee Valley Authority Chief Operating Officer Don Moul, and State Rep. Monty Fritts gather for the announcement of Oak Ridge as the site for Orano USA’s new multibillion dollar uranium enrichment facility — the largest investment in Tennessee history.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — In a landmark decision announced last week, Orano USA has selected Oak Ridge for the site of a new multibillion dollar uranium enrichment facility, representing the single largest investment in Tennessee’s history.

Gov. Bill Lee announced the news during a press conference at the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center. He was joined by city, state and federal officials who praised the project’s scale and significance.

The new facility, spanning 750,000 square feet, will become one of the largest uranium enrichment plants in North America, solidifying Oak Ridge as a hub for nuclear technology and innovation.

The ambitious endeavor, known as Project IKE, will be located on a 920-acre site on the Roane County side of Oak Ridge. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) land will be transferred to Orano USA.

The project will lead to the creation of more than 300 jobs, offering a substantial boost to the local economy. Lee emphasized the importance of these jobs.

“Whenever you bring into a community hundreds of jobs, particularly if they’re highly skilled and high paying, it elevates the entire workforce in the region. That’s part of the reason this is so important,” Lee said. “Hundreds of Tennesseans will have access to better employment opportunity for their families. This makes life better for the people in the community.”

Oak Ridge Multibillion Dollar Nuclear Project: Largest Investment in Tennessee History (2)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee addresses the audience and discusses the importance of the jobs created by this project.

Orano is a leading player in the nuclear industry. The French-owned company specializes in uranium mining, conversion, enrichment, used nuclear fuel management and recycling, decommissioning, site cleanup, and nuclear medicine.

Project IKE will be the second major project in Tennessee to benefit from the state’s Nuclear Energy Fund, an initiative that helps nuclear-related businesses establish or expand operations in the Volunteer State. The fund also supports Tennessee’s universities and research institutions in furthering their nuclear education programs.

Jean-Luc Palayer, CEO and president of Orano USA, noted the significance of the company’s partnership with DOE.

“We are very proud of partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy to clean up and convert one of their sites, set aside originally for the Manhattan Project, and repurpose it into one of the largest and state-of-the-art uranium enrichment facilities in the country,” said Palayer.

Project IKE continues the growing momentum of private companies locating on land transferred by DOE and spurring new economic development. To date, more than 1,700 acres have been transferred to the community that now house other nuclear companies, including Triso-X, Kairos Power and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation.

Education and workforce development will play a critical role supporting the success of Project IKE. Institutions such as the University of Tennessee, Tennessee Tech University, Roane State Community College and Tennessee College of Applied Technology will be key partners in developing the highly skilled workforce needed for the facility.

“This city is nothing without capable people, and this region and this state have a remarkable education program implemented by the state and the counties,” said Palayer. “With this program, you provide education and training for skilled workers, technicians, engineers, staff and many other jobs that will be needed.”

Lee also highlighted the broader implications of this investment for the nation’s energy landscape.

“There is a need like never before for energy independence in this country for reliable, safe, cost-effective energy,” Lee said. “There is no conversation about the future of America's energy industry that doesn't include nuclear, and nowadays there are not many nuclear conversations that don't include Tennessee.”

Orano USA will begin the licensing process with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and anticipates the facility could begin production in the early 2030s, according to Palayer.

-Contributor: Allison Smith

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Oak Ridge Multibillion Dollar Nuclear Project: Largest Investment in Tennessee History (2024)

FAQs

Why was Oak Ridge important to Tennessee? ›

Alpha calutron operators at their control panels, Y-12, Oak Ridge. 1943-1944. Significance: Oak Ridge was the headquarters site for the Manhattan Project, a secret United States government project during World War II that produced the world's first atomic weapons.

What is the nuclear facility in Oak Ridge Tennessee? ›

The new facility, spanning 750,000 square feet, will become one of the largest uranium enrichment plants in North America, solidifying Oak Ridge as a hub for nuclear technology and innovation. The ambitious endeavor, known as Project IKE, will be located on a 920-acre site on the Roane County side of Oak Ridge.

What was the Tennessee facility built to enrich uranium known as? ›

Oak Ridge was the home of the uranium enrichment plants (K-25 and Y-12), the liquid thermal diffusion plant (S-50), and the pilot plutonium production reactor (X-10 Graphite Reactor).

What is the new reactor in Oak Ridge Tennessee? ›

The low-power reactor is the first non-light water design permitted for construction in the United States in more than 50 years and is projected to be operational in Oak Ridge, Tennessee in 2027.

Is Oak Ridge, TN safe from radiation? ›

Oak Ridge, Tennessee was once one of the primary nuclear weapon manufacturing facilities for the US in the Cold War, but the architecture that produced those weapons cannot contain the radiation within.

Does Oak Ridge make nuclear weapons? ›

It was built as part of the Manhattan Project for the purpose of enriching uranium for the first atomic bombs. In the years after World War II, it has been operated as a manufacturing facility for nuclear weapons components. Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

What would happen if a nuclear bomb hit Oak Ridge TN? ›

The impact on the site and surrounding areas of a nuclear detonation would be catastrophic. The fallout from a 10 kiloton IND detonation at Y-12 could result in an estimated 60,000 casualties, including 18,000 fatalities, and harmful radiation sickness for over 40 miles.

What is the largest nuclear facility in the US? ›

Palo Verde Generating Station (PVGS) is considered the largest nuclear energy facility in the United States.

What happened to Oak Ridge, Tennessee? ›

Since World War II

Two years after World War II ended, Oak Ridge was shifted to civilian control, under the authority of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. The Roane Anderson Company administered community functions, including arranging housing and operating buses, under a government contract.

Where is a secret city in the US? ›

Three secret communities supported the top-secret Manhattan Project: Los Alamos, New Mexico; Oak Ridge, Tennessee; and Richland, Washington. These communities were a mix of military personnel and civilian employees from all different backgrounds.

Does Oak Ridge, Tennessee still exist? ›

You can still visit Oak Ridge today and see some of the original buildings from 1942. There is even still an active scientific laboratory there! But thankfully, this historic town isn't a secret you have to keep.

How many nuclear power plants are in Tennessee? ›

Nuclear Power in Tennessee

Tennessee has four nuclear power plants: Sequoyah 1 and 2 and Watts Bar 1 and 2. These plants are operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority which also operates two more plants in northern Alabama. Combined, Sequoyah and Watts Bar generate about 45% of the electricity in our state.

Was there a uranium fire in Oak Ridge Tennessee? ›

A fire at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee occurred in a uranium processing building, which was constructed in 1945. The Y-12 facility was where research and development on the atom bomb started. The fire was contained and there were no reports of injury or contamination.

What is being built in Oak Ridge? ›

Orano USA will build a multibillion-dollar uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge. Orano USA, a Maryland-based subsidiary of a global nuclear fuel company, will invest billions of dollars to build a centrifuge uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge in the largest single investment in Tennessee history.

Why was the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge Tennessee? ›

The Black Oak Ridge country was chosen as one of the three atomic sites for its electric power, supplied by the TVA, its inaccessibility to enemy attacks, its water supply and the then uncritical labor area.

What is the history of the Oak Ridge Quarry? ›

The quarry was created in the early 1940s by excavating into McKinney Ridge. The rock material was used to support construction of the K-25 Site. It was later used for open burning of trash and debris. Phase 1 of David Witherspoon Inc.

Does Oak Ridge TN still exist? ›

You can still visit Oak Ridge today and see some of the original buildings from 1942. There is even still an active scientific laboratory there! But thankfully, this historic town isn't a secret you have to keep.

How was Oak Ridge kept secret? ›

Those atomic workers arrived at a place shrouded in secrecy. Locals knew that something mysterious was going on at the site, but only those who were part of the mission were allowed inside, past the guarded gates on the access roads. The atomic facilities themselves were surrounded by additional security.

What is Oak Ridge National Laboratory famous for? ›

Originally known as Clinton Laboratories, ORNL was established in 1943 to conduct the pilot-scale production and separation of plutonium for the World War II Manhattan Project. The laboratory was also highly involved in reactor designs and isotope research and production.

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