Indiana to Host Advanced Small Reactor Energy Park
Purdue, BWXT Forge Strategic Collaboration To Advance Nuclear Innovation
Constellation Plans to Double Capacity of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Plant
Terrestrial Energy, Westinghouse Sign Fuel Deal at Springfields, UK Plant
EDF Sets Goal of Producing 30 SMRs for Export by 2050
Framatome to Produce TRISO Fuel in France for Advanced Reactors
Nuclear Startup Blue Capsule in TRISO Fuel Deal With Framatome
China Announces Thorium-Uranium Conversion Breakthrough
Energy Department Seeks Proposals for AI Data Centers, Energy Projects at Paducah, KY, Site
Indiana to Host Advanced Small Reactor Energy Park
First American Nuclear and the State of Indiana introduce the first “closed-fuel cycle” nuclear energy park in the U.S.
The “park” will start by generating electricity using gas followed by a 245 MW SMR.
Reprocesed spent fuel will power a fast neutron reactor.
First American Nuclear (FANCO), developer of a fast-spectrum SMR and the State of Indiana announced this week plans to establish Indiana as the company’s new home for its reactor, its manufacturing facilities, and an energy park “to position the state at the forefront of U.S. global leadership in sustainable nuclear technology.” FANCO is currently located in Richland, WA.
The location of the reactor at a site in Indiana as well as a time line for construction and operation were not announced. The firm’s press release did not name its investors or other forms of financial backing for either the gas or nuclear elements of the energy park. Pitchbook indicates that Foundt Capital is one of FANCO’s investors. Pitchbook reports total captial raised is $2.52 million. FANCO is a privately held firm.
Gas First then Nuclear – The “energy park” will consist initially of gas fired electricity generation follow by nuclear plants. On its website the firm said, “Our unique integrated gas and nuclear solution for quick deployment starts with gas then transitions to nuclear using the same systems bringing power to customers in 24-36 months.” This statement indicates the gas and eventual nuclear plant will be co-located using some of the same infrastructure including grid connections.
Fast Reactor Breeder Design and Fuel Needs – According to the press statement, the energy park is designed to be the first in the U.S. to operate in a “closed-fuel cycle” meaning it will reprocess and reuse spent nuclear fuel. The firm claims its process will eliminate 97% of long-lasting nuclear waste. The 240 MWe EAGL-1 reactor is designed to create more fuel than it burns. The firm states on its website that EAGL-1 operates in the fast neutron spectrum.
According to the World Nuclear Association, A 1,000 MWe light water reactor gives produces to about 25 tonnes of used fuel a year, containing up to 290 kilograms of plutonium. If the plutonium is extracted from used reactor fuel it can be used as a direct substitute for U-235, the PU-239 being the main fissile part.
Plutonium can be used in fast neutron reactors, where a much higher proportion of PU-239 fissions and in fact all the plutonium isotopes fission, and so function as a fuel. As with uranium, the energy potential of plutonium is more fully realized in a fast reactor.
Fuel Sources and Fabrication Plant ~ Will FANCO’s EAGL-1 Burn Oklo Fuel?
Sources – The firm did not provide technical details of what form the spent fuel would be in as received by the reactor. A reference to uranium oxide fuel (UO2) on the firm’s website suggests the spent fuel to be reprocessed would be derived from light water reactors. The claim that the reactor would produce more fuel than it burned indicates it is a “fast breeder” type reactor, as noted on the firm’s website, and that the fuel it would produce would be plutonium.
A key issue for the firm is to acquire the spent fuel from dry storage sites at light water reactors from around the country. This might evolve into the FANCO site evolving into a de facto interim storage facility as it accumulates spent fuel to be burned in its fast spectrum reactor. The Department of Energy would have to authorize transfer of the spent fuel to the Indiana facility or have it shipped to a third party fuel fabrication plant. The latter is the more likely solution.
OKLO Fuel Fabrication Plant – Although there are no fuel fabrication plants at present in rthe U.S. that can produce plutonium fuel for advanced reactors, a future potential option for FANCO is that Oklo announced in October that it has signed on to a $2 billion fuel fabrication deal with two European firms and that it has plans to build a $1.68 billion fuel fabrication plant at a site in Oak Ridge, TN, to recycle used nuclear fuel into fuel for fast reactors.
See prior coverage on this blog – Oklo Claims to Have a Fuel Recycling Process. How does it Work?
Pyroprocessing is a high-temperature electrochemical fuel processing technology for recycling the spent fuel into metal fuel for a nuclear fast reactor. In other words, pyroprocessing treats spent oxide fuels from light water reactors and produces metal fuels, which will be irradiated in a nuclear fast reactor. The Argonne National Laboratory used this process to produce fuel for EBR-II and the Integral Fast Reactor. Oklo’s first fuel loading for its Auroa Powerhouse reactor will be derived from fuel originally fabricated for use in EBR-II.
Newcleo says in a joint press statement it plans to invest up to $2 billion via a Newcleo-affiliated investment vehicle. Blykalla, Sweden’s advanced nuclear technology developer, is also considering co-investing in the same projects, and procuring fuel related services from the project. The project is intended, in the US, to support the domestic expansion of Oklo’s fuel and fast-reactor technologies. Both Newclo and Blykalla are developers of advanced small modular reactors.
Interestingly, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum is quoted as saying in the the Oklo press statement that all $2 billion would be spent on nuclear fuel facilities in the US.
Oklo Fuel for FANCO’s EAGL-1 – The Oklo fuel recycling facility to be built at Oak Ridge will recover usable fuel material from used nuclear fuel and fabricate it into HALEU fuel for advanced reactors. The press statement specifically addresses making plutonium available as a reactor fuel. It states, “This effort includes co-investment into, and co-location of, fuel fabrication facilities and could include repurposing surplus plutonium in a manner consistent with established U.S. safety and security requirements.”
Oklo said it is exploring opportunities with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to recycle the utility’s used fuel at the new facility. TVA owns and operates seven nuclear reactors located at three sites – Browns Ferry, Sequoyah, and Watts Bar.
This collaboration, if implemented, would mark the first time a U.S. utility has explored recycling its used fuel into clean electricity using electrochemical processes, turning a legacy liability into a resource while creating a secure U.S. fuel supply for the future.
Oklo has completed a licensing project plan for the fuel recycling facility with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and is currently in pre-application engagement with the regulator’s staff. In an April 10, 2025, transmittal letter (ML25100A069), Oklo submitted an update to its licensing project plan for fuel recycling but designated the contents as proprietary.
The facility in Tennessee is expected to begin producing metal fuel for Aurora powerhouses by the early 2030s, following regulatory review and approvals.
About the EAGL-1 Reactor
The EAGL-1 design generates 240 MWe of electricity. The firm plans to offer the reactor in a “six-pack” cluster for total of 1,470 MW equivalent to an South Korean 1,400 MW PWR. It follows that the first-of-a-kind plant to be built at a site (to be named) in Indiana would eventually involve six of its EAGL-1 units with their fuel requirements driving the volume of spent fuel needed to be imported to the site to power them.
The first unit would be followed by five others over time as electricity demand made the business case for them. The EAGL-1 design is planned be manufactured and assembled in the U.S. The firm did not indicate it has decided on a site for the facotory nor set a timeline for its construction.
Another issue is that since the reactor is producing and burning plutonium, security for the site will be consistent with Department of Energy and IAEA requirements. The fuel needs for each six pack plant would cascade storage, security, and material accountability requirerments as the energy park scales up its operations. Ensuring the financial viability of the energy park will be essential to meeting these requirements over the life cycle of each reactor which would be up to 60 years or more.
Lead-Bismuth Coolant
FANCO’s flagship technology design, the EAGL-1 SMR, will use a liquid metal alloy called lead bismuth. The profile of FANCO founders on the company website indicate they have worked with sodium, molten salt, pressurized water, and high-temperature gas coolants for decades.
The team says in the press statement that the firm is convinced that lead bismuth solves the technical challenges to delivering safe, commercial-scale nuclear energy at an affordable price.
According to FANCO lead bismuth cooler “is a game-changer.” Due to the benign chemical properties of lead bismuth, EAGL-1 does not require complex safety systems using exotic materials.
Economic Effects of the Project
“Indiana and First American Nuclear joining forces to improve the quality of life for Hoosiers and the American people was an easy decision to make,” said Suzanne Jaworowski, Indiana Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources.
“FANCO has the ability to deliver affordable, sustainable power to light up our rooms, keep us warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and rise to the ever-increasing energy demands of an advanced manufacturing and computing economy.”
In addition to tapping into Indiana’s existing workforce, First American Nuclear will develop a comprehensive program to attract and retain talent through partnerships with Indiana’s technical colleges and Universities, including tailored curricula, certifications, and apprenticeships. The program is expected to build a pipeline of highly skilled local workers to support the manufacturing and operations of EAGL-1 nuclear components, and the deployment of these systems across the U.S. and for export.
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Purdue, BWXT Forge Strategic Collaboration To Advance Nuclear Innovation
Agreement establishes framework for joint research, technology development and student opportunities
Purdue University and BWX Technologies Inc. (NYSE: BWXT), a leading manufacturer and supplier of nuclear components and services for the commercial and government sectors, have signed a memorandum of understanding to forge a research relationship focused on next-generation nuclear manufacturing, including small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors.
Through collaborative research and innovation, this agreement advances technical abilities and knowledge regarding nuclear energy that is essential to addressing growing energy demand, the economic resilience of the country, national defense and global security.
Purdue President Mung Chiang and Suzy Sterner, BWXT senior vice president and chief corporate affairs officer, signed the agreement on 10/23/25 in Washington, D.C.
“This partnership marks a transformative moment for Purdue and the future of nuclear energy innovation,” Chiang said.
“By aligning our nationally recognized engineering programs with cutting-edge nuclear technologies, like small modular reactors, we’re not only advancing research — we’re also preparing the next generation of scientists, engineers and policy leaders to meet the energy and workforce demands of tomorrow.”
The agreement outlines academic opportunities to advance career development for Purdue students and the broader nuclear workforce through:
Separately, Purdue was awarded a $6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy in June 2024 to lead a consortium that will revitalize nuclear research facilities and expand university-led research for SMR and AR technologies. In May 2024, Purdue was selected by the state of Indiana to assess the feasibility of deploying SMRs in Indiana. Results of the study were announced in February 2025.
“This agreement between Purdue and BWXT further strengthens our state’s position as a leader in energy innovation and technology-driven economic growth,” said Jon Ford, executive director of the Indiana Office of Energy Development.
“With the growing footprint of a digital economy drawing upon the electric grid, partnerships like this are essential to ensuring we have the skilled workforce and advanced energy systems to support them.”
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Constellation Plans to Double Capacity of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Plant
(WNN) With energy demands forecast to increase sharply in the coming decades, Constellation said, “it will explore building 2,000 MW of new, next-generation nuclear at Calvert Cliffs, effectively doubling the site’s output and creating enough clean generation to power future economic growth.”
Most likely, this could involve two units in the range of 1,000 MW. The firm did not announce a timeline for these investments in new reactors nor specifics about their design or power ratings.
Calvert Cliffs is composed of two PWRs – one of 863 MW (built 1975) and the other 855 MW (buolt 1977). The plans for the Calvert Cliffs Clean Energy Center include 20-year life extensions for the nuclear two units which would otherwise shut down in 2034 and 2036.
Constellation also said it can invest in uprates to increase the two pressurized water reactors’ current 1,790 MW capacity by a further 190 MW. Calvert Cliffs is Maryland’s only nuclear power plant and produces about 40% of Maryland’s total power generation and 80% of the state’s clean power generation. The company says its combined plans could lead to the US state’s clean energy share increasing from 50% to 70%.
The company also announced it is considering development of an 800 MW battery storage project and 700 MW of gas-fired generation plant that could be switched to hydrogen fuel in the future.
Joe Dominguez, president and CEO of Constellation, said: “Today, we announce an ambitious plan to make billions of dollars of new investments in Maryland without seeking any electricity rate increases, including options ranging from new natural gas to battery storage and nuclear energy.”
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Terrestrial Energy, Westinghouse Sign Fuel Deal at Springfields, UK Plant
Agreement encompasses deconversion, fabrication, packaging, and transportation services for Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) fuel production, paving the way for pilot plant construction
Partnership with Westinghouse’s Springfield Fuels advances Terrestrial Energy’s Western supply chain strategy while accelerating IMSR commercialization pathway
Terrestrial Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:IMSR), a developer of small modular nuclear power plants using its Generation IV reactor technology, announced this week it has signed a manufacturing and supply contract with Springfields Fuels Limited, a subsidiary of Westinghouse Electric Company for the design and construction of an Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) fuel pilot plant.
The agreement serves as a significant advancement of Terrestrial Energy’s fuel supply chain capabilities in support of the company’s accelerating commercialization pathway, with construction set to begin in 2026.
The agreement, building on a contract signed in August 2023 for the planning and initial design of IMSR fuel supply, leverages established deconversion and fuel manufacturing infrastructure at Westinghouse’s Springfields nuclear fuel manufacturing site in Preston, UK, to support Terrestrial Energy’s IMSR deployment strategy.
The expanded scope includes a wide range of commercial-scale fuel services, such as deconversion, fabrication, packaging and transportation. Upon completion of the pilot plant, the facility will be positioned to scale to commercial fuel production for a future fleet of IMSR Plants.
Terrestrial Energy’s IMSR plant uses next-generation molten salt reactor technology – a Generation IV nuclear technology – to deliver high-temperature thermal energy. This energy supports highly efficient steam turbine operation, low-cost electricity generation and direct thermal energy supply for industrial use.
Unique among North American Generation IV designs, the IMSR is fueled with low-cost, readily available Standard Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (SALEU) fuel, uranium enriched to under 5% uranium-235, allowing for alignment with Springfields role as a supplier of SALEU as uranium oxide fuel to commercial nuclear power reactors.
Terrestrial Energy’s use of low enriched uranium fuel, e.g., less than 5% U235, the only commercially available reactor fuel on the market today, for IMSR plant operation shields the firm from substantial supply challenges associated with the use of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium fuel (HALEU), which have been exacerbated by geopolitical tensions and the current lack of commercial-scale supply in the U.S. market.
A key innovation in the pilot plant design is a re-optimized chemical process to supply UF4 deconverted from UF6 at 5% enrichment. Today’s industry standard is the deconversion of UF6 at 5% enrichment supplied from enrichment plants to uranium oxide fuel. The process to deconvert to UF4 is optimized with the pilot plant design enabling the large-scale fuel supply required for IMSR fleet deployment by leveraging Springfields’ existing commercial scale infrastructure.
Terrestrial Energy’s Development Horizon
Separatrely, Terrestrial Energy as the company is pursuing its first IMSR deployment at site in the U.S. including at Texas A&M’s RELLIS campus. Also, the company was selected for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy’s Advanced Reactor Pilot Program, as well as the U.S. DOE Office of Nuclear Energy’s Fuel Line Pilot Program. Together, these programs provide a pathway to significantly accelerate Terrestrial Energy’s IMSR commercialization.
According to an October 2024 report by World Nuclear News, Terrestrial Energy signed a memorandum of understanding with UK-based oil and gas company Viaro Energy to collaborate on the deployment of Terrestrial’s Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) plant technology for a broad range of potential industrial applications, including powering data centres for AI.
In May 2024 Terrestrial Energy inked an MOU with Schneider Electric to provide electricity for data centers in the U.S. In terms of the Terrestrial Energy deal, the scope is more wide ranging with multiple levels of engagement with Schneider Electric.
The CEO of Power & Grid Systems at Schneider Electric said, “Schneider Electric’s value proposition is to leverage Digital Twin technology across the full IMSR project lifecycle and during operations – resulting in a reduction of project time to market and cost as well as more efficient operations.”
In April 2023, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), following a systematic and multi-year review against nuclear regulatory requirements, concluded that there were no fundamental barriers to licensing the IMSR plant for commercial use. This was the first-ever regulatory review of a commercial nuclear plant using molten salt reactor technology and the first advanced, high-temperature fission technology to complete a review of this type.
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EDF Sets Goal of Producing 30 SMRs for Export by 2050
Reuters reports that state-owned French power utility EDF expects to complete the conceptual design of a small modular reactor (SMR) next year. The plan is to produce up to 30 SMRs according to a press statement by Julien Garrel, CEO of small modular reactor division Nuward.
While EDF did not provide details on the new design, it is assumed that it will based on light water reactors. EDF plans to offer the SMRs for export to provide power to energy intensive industries and data centers.
This is a reboot of an earlier effort that was shelved in July 2024 when EDF scrapped plans for a unique design approach. A source at Nuward told Reuters at the time the decision to go back to the drawing board on SMR development came after talks with prospective utility clients such as Sweden’s Vattenfall, the Czech Republic’s CEZ, and Finland’s Fortum, who are examining investments in both Generation III full-size nuclear plants and SMRs. EDF said at the time it would focus on more conventional LWR design principle rather than technology innovation.
Other key issues revolved around the cost of electricity that would be provided by the SMR based on its construction costs. The design at that time involved twin 170 MWe units attached to a single turbine.
The first prototype based on the new design is expected to be online in 2035, followed by productions of one reactor annually until it has four in two countries. The new reactor is expected to offer customers 400 MWe of power and 115 MW of process heat. These numbers put it in the same general class as the Rollys-Royce 470 MW PWR which is being developed in the UK for both domestic and international customers.
Reuters reported that EDF said the costs and conceptual design are set to coincide with EDF’s final investment decision on its fleet of six large-scale EPR2 reactors for its home market, which the company plans to deliver by the second half of 2026.
These units are expected to be smaller and more efficient to operate than the current 1,650 MW design which is the basis for the two units under construction in the UK at the Hinkley Point C site and another two, also under construction in the UK, at the Sizewell C site.
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Framatome to Produce TRISO Fuel in France for Advanced Reactors
Framatome announced the launch of new industrialization and development capabilities for TRISO fuel at its Romans-sur-Isère site in France. This initiative complements Framatome’s ongoing activities in the United States and marks a significant expansion of the company’s resources in France, with the installation of a pilot line dedicated to manufacturing various types of TRISO fuel for advanced reactor projects, including high-temperature reactors (HTR).
The new pilot line will focus on the production of TRISO (tristructural isotropic) fuel enriched up to 20%. This facility will enable the specification and qualification of TRISO fuel, as well as the associated manufacturing and quality control processes. The project is designed to pave the way for future industrialization of TRISO fuel in France.
Triso (TRi-structural ISOtropic) nuclear fuel is a highly robust, advanced fuel form for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors. It consists of a uranium-based fuel kernel surrounded by three distinct layers of ceramic and carbon materials, which form an individual containment system for each particle.
This tri-structural design is said to provide exceptional resistance to corrosion, high temperatures, and irradiation, making it impossible to melt under extreme conditions and containing radioactive fission products effectively.
The Romans-sur-Isère site in France is the manufacturing plant for fuel used in nuclear power plants and research reactors. It is also Framatome’s center for the development of research fuels and medical products. It houses cutting-edge innovations in fuel design and manufacturing, with expertise in uranium-metal alloys through the CERCA brand, and uranium-based medical irradiation targets through the Framatome Healthcare brand.
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Nuclear Startup Blue Capsule in TRISO Fuel Deal With Framatome
(NucNet) France-based advanced nuclear reactor startup Blue Capsule Technology has announced an agreement to advance their cooperation on fuel with French company Framatome. The company said the term sheet agreement covers qualification of Triso fuel particles for Blue Capsule. It also includes manufacturing of fuel elements for the Blue Capsule high-temperature reactor.
Framatome has said it plans launch new industrialization and development capabilities for Triso fuel at its Romans-sur-Isère site in southern France.
“Blue Capsule’s high-temperature reactor (HTR) project has taken an important step forward with Framatome,” said the company’s president Edouard Hourcade. The firm notes its design has a heritage of technology development work that took place in the 1960s
“Our HTR project is based on the idea that France, and Europe, with its world-class nuclear industry, needs a robust supply chain to best achieve its goal.”
The company said it aimed to deploy low-enriched TRISO fuel at less than 5% U235 in its reactors, citing the wide use of low-enriched uranium in the industry, and the export potential of reactors that use LEU. This strategy avoid the delays that could affect HALEU supply chains.
Blue Capsule is targeting energy-intensive industries, given that its HTR will produce industrial-grade heat and steam, and electricity if needed.
Blue Capsule said these products are particularly suited for industry clusters and “inside-the-fence” industrial users such as the cement and alumina sectors, soda ash or steelmaking, or even synthetic fuel or hydrogen synthesis.
The company’s sodium-cooled plant is engineered to provide up to 150 MWth of heat at 700°C in the form of hot air, steam up to 650°C, or up to 50 MW of electricity.
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China Announces Thorium-Uranium Conversion Breakthrough At Gobi Desert Experimental Reactor
(NucNet contributed to this report) An experimental reactor developed in the Gobi Desert by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP) has achieved thorium-to-uranium fuel conversion. The achievement makes the 2 MW liquid-fuelled thorium-based molten salt reactor (TMSR) the only operating example of the technology in the world to have successfully loaded and used thorium fuel. The reactor, known as TMSR-LF1, came online in June 2024. It follows development of a sodium-cooled version – the TMSR-SF.
SINAP is responsible for the Thorium-based Molten-Salt Reactor(TMSR) nuclear energy system, one of the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Strategic Priority Research Programs. The goal is to develop the fourth-generation fission reactor nuclear energy system and thorium-uranium cycle technology, with industrial applications within 20 years.
According to the academy, the experiment has provided initial proof of the technical feasibility of using thorium resources in molten salt reactor systems and represents a major leap forward for the technology.
According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, quoting a report by Science and Technology Daily – the official newspaper of the Ministry of Science and Technology – it is the first time that scientists have been able to acquire experimental data on thorium operations from inside a molten salt reactor.
The Science and Technology Daily article, published on 11/01/25, was China’s first official confirmation of its success in the development of TMSR technology.
The TMSR-LF stream claims it is a full closed Th-U fuel cycle with breeding of U-233 and much better sustainability with thorium but greater technical difficulty than the TMSR-SF. It is optimized for utilization of thorium with electrometallurgical pyroprocessing. The fluorine design followed the sodium cooled design by about a decade. (January 2017 Gen IV Briefing – PDF file)
Some of the work on the TMSR series is based on collaboration between the Chinese Academy of Science’s (CAS) Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) via a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to accelerate the development of fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactors (FHRs). This work took place in 2015-2016.
How the Process Works
At the heart of the breakthrough is a process known as in-core thorium-to-uranium conversion that transforms naturally occurring thorium-232 into uranium-233, which is a fissile isotope capable of sustaining nuclear chain reactions. The process only works in molten salt reactors.
This transformation occurs through a precise sequence of nuclear reactions. The thorium-232 absorbs a neutron to become thorium-233, which decays into protactinium-233 and then further decays into the final product – a powerful nuclear fuel.
Critically, the entire process takes place inside the reactor core, eliminating the need for external fuel fabrication.
Thorium is dissolved in a fluoride salt into a high-temperature molten mixture which serves as both fuel and coolant. Neutrons from a small initial charge of fissile material, such as enriched uranium-235 or plutonium-239, initiate the chain reaction.
Throughout the operation, thorium-232 continuously captures neutrons and transforms into uranium-233, which then releases energy through nuclear fission to create a self-sustaining “burn while breeding” cycle – one of the technology’s defining advantages.
Thorium is much more abundant and accessible than uranium and has enormous energy potential. One mine tailings site in Inner Mongolia is estimated to hold enough of the element to power China entirely for more than 1,000 years.
Refuelling Can Be ‘On The Fly’
Unlike conventional pressurized water reactors, which must be shut down periodically to open the pressure vessel and replace solid fuel rods, the TMSR’s liquid fuel – a homogeneous mixture of fissile material dissolved in molten salt – circulates continuously, allowing for “on-the-fly” refuelling without interrupting operations.
Another advantage of the TMSR is that it requires no water at all, in sharp contrast to conventional nuclear power plants that are usually built near coastlines because of their massive cooling needs. This is a plus for a reactor located in the Gobi desert in the landlocked province of Gansu, in the north of the country near the Mongolian border.
Prior coverage on this blog
~ China Startup – a Thorium-powered Molten-salt Reactor
~ Recent Developments in Advanced Reactors in China, Russia
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Energy Department Seeks Proposals for AI Data Centers, Energy Projects at Paducah, KY
The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management issued a Request for Offer on 11/04/25 seeking proposals from companies to build and power AI data centers on DOE’s Paducah site.
The Paducah site is one of four sites identified by the Department for AI infrastructure and generation projects on federal land. EM is now seeking proposals from U.S. companies to potentially enter into one or more long-term leasing agreements at the site that would be solely funded by the applicants.
DOE Assistant Secretary for the Office of Environmental Management Tim Walsh said, “Paducah has the resources and vision to support the next generation of AI infrastructure, creating new opportunities for prosperity while advancing national security for future generations.”
Applicants will be responsible for building, operating, and decommissioning each infrastructure project and must secure utility interconnection agreements. Proposals will be competitively evaluated for technological readiness, financial viability, and detailed plans to complete regulatory and permitting requirements.
DOE will post future dates for proposal submittal and a sponsored industry day event for applicants to learn more about the solicitation process and requirements outlined in the RFO, and tour the sites available for consideration. Check SAM.GOV for details.
About the Paducah Site
The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) was constructed in 1952 to produce enriched uranium, initially for the nation’s nuclear weapons program and later for nuclear fuel for commercial power plants. The plant is owned by the Department of Energy (DOE), which oversees environmental cleanup activities at the site, including environmental remediation, waste management, depleted uranium conversion, and decontamination and decommissioning.
Commercial enrichment was conducted under lease from 1993 until 2013 when operations ceased and the gaseous diffusion facilities were returned to the DOE Environmental Management (EM) program. EM has conducted extensive cleanup activities at the site since the late 1980s and is currently deactivating the returned plant facilities while continuing the aggressive remediation program being managed by its Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office.
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