Download the Nuclear Industry Impact fact sheet & the Nuclear Workforce fact sheet.

Here are a few reasons why the nuclear industry wants to be in East Tennessee.

• A nuclear advocate in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, Chair of the House Energy and Water Development Subcommittee and co-chair of the House Nuclear Cleanup Caucus.
• A pro-nuclear Governor and State Legislature that has allocated $50 million to recruit innovative nuclear companies to our state and to expand the growth of existing nuclear companies.
• Access to research and development capabilities and collaboration with some of the world’s experts relative to advanced nuclear technologies at the Tennessee Valley Authority, Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Oak Ridge Associated Universities.
• TVA’s Clinch River Site where they are making plans to site multiple small modular reactors by early 2030s.
• In East Tennessee Centrus Energy designs, tests, and manufactures the world’s most advanced uranium enrichment centrifuge machines. Centrus also supports other companies in the advanced reactor fuel cycle by leveraging their decades of expertise in uranium chemistry, nuclear facility licensing, and criticality analysis.
• A hub of advanced nuclear innovators making their home in Oak Ridge: Kairos Power, TRISO-X, and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation; along with fusion energy innovators, Type One Energy.
• A pro-nuclear community with a pool of talented individuals who have expertise in nuclear operations.
• A strong system of education and workforce partnerships with the University of Tennessee and Tennessee Technological University in addition to nuclear training programs provided by Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technologies and Community Colleges including Roane State, Pellissippi State, and Chattanooga State.  Labor partnerships provide additional apprenticeship opportunities.
• Oak Ridge Associated University's (ORAU) new STEM Accelerator program will have an initial focus on the Nuclear Science and Technology workforce in order to meet urgent needs within this industry.
• A diligent and focused DOE Environmental Management program whose contractor UCOR is completing legacy cleanup at the Y-12 National Security Complex and ORNL to make way for new missions. This team also cleaned up the East Tennessee Technology Park, (former K-25 Manhattan Era site). Many nuclear companies have located in this brownfield site, now called Heritage Center, and in the adjoining Horizon Center Industrial Park.
• Nearly 230 companies working in the nuclear industry statewide.