The U.S. Department of Energy named Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Idaho as the five states it will work with to explore hosting a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus, DOE said July 28, 2026. Energy Secretary Chris Wright signed memorandums of understanding with each state after DOE reviewed 28 applications from 26 states.
The campuses are meant to strengthen and modernize the full US nuclear fuel cycle, the chain of steps that turns raw uranium into reactor fuel and then manages it after use. DOE said the proposed sites would cover fuel fabrication, enrichment, reprocessing of used nuclear fuel, and final disposition of that fuel. Depending on the state, a campus could also add advanced reactor deployment, power generation, advanced manufacturing, and co-located data centers.
DOE put a scale on the opportunity: the program has the potential to draw up to $50 billion in capital investment and generate as much as $10 billion in state and local tax revenue. A single completed campus could create nearly 25,000 jobs, DOE said.
How the states got here
States filed statements of interest with DOE by April 1, 2026, laying out how a campus would serve workforce development, infrastructure investment, economic diversification, or technology leadership goals. The memorandums signed July 28 keep the five states in the running to keep building that case with DOE. States that go on to pursue hosting will still need to sign separate hosting agreements with the department.
DOE said the effort backs President Trump's push for American energy dominance and national energy security.
Governors stake their claims
Wright called the five selections "massive generators of economic growth" that would create thousands of high-paying jobs. Each governor made a case for their state. Utah Governor Spencer Cox tied his state's bid to Operation Gigawatt, a state initiative he said covers the nuclear lifecycle from fuel production to advanced reactor deployment. Idaho Governor Brad Little pointed to more than 70 years of nuclear work in the state. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said the state is "ready to lead the next era of nuclear energy." Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt called the opportunity "an all hands on deck moment" for the state. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee cited the state's role in the Manhattan Project.
| State | Governor |
|---|---|
| Utah | Spencer Cox |
| Tennessee | Bill Lee |
| Oklahoma | Kevin Stitt |
| Louisiana | Jeff Landry |
| Idaho | Brad Little |
