WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy has invited states to step forward as potential hosts of new Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses, a sweeping proposal aimed at modernizing the nation’s nuclear fuel cycle and reasserting U.S. leadership in advanced nuclear energy.
The request for information marks the opening move toward voluntary federal-state partnerships that could reshape how nuclear energy is developed, manufactured, and sustained in the United States, while driving regional economic growth and strengthening national energy security.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the initiative is designed to ignite what he described as a new era for American nuclear power, aligning with President Donald Trump’s push to restore the nation’s industrial and energy base.
“Unleashing the next American nuclear renaissance will drive innovation, fuel economic growth, and create good-paying American jobs while delivering the affordable, reliable and secure energy America needs to power its future,” Wright said. He added that the proposed campuses would allow the federal government to work directly with states on regional priorities tied to revitalizing the nuclear sector.
Under the proposal, the campuses could span the full nuclear fuel lifecycle, including fuel fabrication, enrichment, reprocessing of used nuclear fuel, and waste disposition. Depending on state interest and regional capabilities, sites could also support advanced reactor deployment, power generation, advanced manufacturing operations, and co-located data centers.
The department is asking states to submit clear statements of interest and detailed feedback on how the campuses should be structured. Responses are expected to outline state priorities such as workforce development, infrastructure investment, economic diversification, and technology leadership, while also describing the scope of nuclear-related activities states would seek to host.
DOE also encouraged states to identify potential funding models, risk-sharing arrangements, incentives, and federal partnerships needed to establish and sustain a full-cycle innovation campus.
Responses to the request for information are due no later than April 1, 2026. Additional details and submission instructions are available through SAM.gov.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.