Nuclear Energy in Tennessee Enjoying a Renaissance
Oak Ridge – once the Secret City of the Manhattan Project – has become a modern hub for clean-energy innovation. Anchored by the Y-12 National Security Complex and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the region is experiencing a powerful surge in nuclear investment, workforce development and next-generation technology. This momentum is felt throughout the region and Tennessee.
“We live that nuclear renaissance every day,” says Gerald Boyd, chairman of the Oak Ridge Corridor Development Corp. “It’s occurring right now in the Oak Ridge Corridor. It started with a great foundation. We’ve been innovating for 80 years now.”
Boyd says the rapidly growing energy ecosystem is good for Tennessee.
“We share the focus the country has,” he says. “It’s a national security issue first and foremost. President Trump talks about America becoming energy dominant, and nuclear energy is vital to that goal. Part of the resurgence is because we are realizing there is a place for renewables, but we need to grow the grid to meet the demand for power. Renewables can’t do that.”
He points to surging electricity needs across the Southeast that are driven by population growth and the power-hungry demands of AI and data centers.
“From a national security and economic growth perspective, America has to win the AI race,” Boyd says. “We have to incorporate nuclear power to drive supercomputing and data centers. Tennessee has an important role to play. When you think of national security and energy dominance, nuclear reindustrialization is key. That’s what we do every day in Oak Ridge.”
Legacy of Leadership
ORNL remains the cornerstone of Oak Ridge’s growth, advancing nuclear materials, reactor technology and advanced manufacturing.
“Oak Ridge National Laboratory has a rich history of being at the forefront of nuclear energy research and development, from the Manhattan Project to the present, fueling America’s innovative leadership, energy independence, global competitiveness and national security,” says ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer.
“As we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in nuclear, it’s not surprising to see the surge of nuclear-related businesses moving into the region to benefit from proximity to a robust scientific knowledge base, world-class user facilities based at ORNL and nearby programs to educate the future nuclear workforce.”
Next Gen Workforce
State support has amplified that momentum. Tennessee created the Nuclear Energy Fund to accelerate technology and workforce grow, and it matched $50 million in the state’s economic development budget to support the Tennessee Valley Authority’s application for the nation’s first small modular reactor at the Clinch River site located in Oak Ridge.
Recognizing that people are the key to sustaining this growth, the state is directing Nuclear Energy Fund grants to colleges and universities to expand nuclear education and career training.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville launched a new nuclear engineering minor for non-nuclear engineering students in the fall of 2024. Using existing courses at first and adding new ones over time, the program gives future engineers foundational knowledge in reactor systems, radiation and nuclear safety, building the in-demand workforce needed for Tennessee’s growing nuclear energy sector.
“UT is nationally ranked as one of the best programs for nuclear engineering, and we partner with organizations across the Energy Corridor, including Oak Ridge National Lab and Y-12 National Security Complex,” says Deb Crawford, vice chancellor for research, innovation and economic development at UT. “Leadership in this space means we have also created pathways from two-year to four-year degrees with our partners at Roane State and Pellissippi State Community Colleges. In addition, our Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs is shaping the future of public policy for nuclear.”
Roane State Community College offers an intensive Nuclear Technology Program with hands-on training across the nuclear fuel cycle in a state-of-the-art lab.
Tennessee Tech University launched a nuclear engineering program in fall 2024, becoming only the second four-year program of its kind in the entire state.
“As Tennessee’s premier STEM-infused university, Tennessee Tech was proud to help ready the nuclear engineering workforce of the future by launching our nuclear engineering degree program in fall 2024. It is only the second baccalaureate-level nuclear engineering program in the state and has already exceeded its early enrollment goals,” says Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham.
“We are grateful to Gov. Bill Lee, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Congressman John Rose, Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, and the rest of our state and federal partners for their strong support of the program. We are excited to see how Tech graduates will strengthen Tennessee’s economic competitiveness amid this booming nuclear renaissance.”
Education, Careers & Opportunity
Tennessee: A National Hub for Innovation
The state commits to a landmark investment in innovative initiatives.
Nuclear Energy Fund
The State of Tennessee created the Nuclear Energy Fund to accelerate innovation and strengthen the state’s position as a national leader in advanced nuclear technology. Administered through the Department of Economic and Community Development, the fund provides competitive grants and other financial incentives to companies and institutions working on next-generation nuclear projects. Its goal is twofold: Attract private investment and cultivate a skilled workforce to support a flourishing clean-energy economy.
Private industry is responding in force. In September, Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner and Deputy Governor Stuart C. McWhorter announced Oklo’s $1.7 billion investment in Oak Ridge, an important project that will add to the region’s growing portfolio of advanced nuclear development and investment.
Orano of France is planning an over $4.5 billion uranium enrichment facility, the largest capital investment in Tennessee history. Kairos Power is investing more than $100 million to develop its Hermes 35-megawatt thermal molten-salt demonstration reactor. X-energy is advancing next-generation reactors and TRISO fuel production. And BWXT has purchased nearly 100 acres for a centrifuge assembly manufacturing plant and announced its second expansion in Tennessee in the last year.
Together, these projects validate Oak Ridge’s legacy while positioning East Tennessee as a national leader in nuclear technology and talent.
Get to Know Tennessee
Want to learn more about living and working in Tennessee? Check out the new edition of the Livability Tennessee Economic Development Guide.