Note: This news release was issued by Greater Paducah Economic Development.
General Matter to Construct $1.5 Billion Uranium Enrichment Facility in Paducah
Project Will Create 140 Jobs and Support America’s Clean Energy Future
PADUCAH, KY (August 5, 2025) – A major milestone in economic development for McCracken County was announced today, as General Matter, the American uranium enrichment company, has signed a lease with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a commercial uranium enrichment facility at the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant—reviving the site where America’s uranium enrichment industry was born.
The proposed $1.5 billion project will create approximately 140 high-paying, full-time jobs and generate an estimated $71 million in recurring annual economic benefit for the Paducah region. General Matter evaluated more than 1,000 potential locations across 11 states before selecting Paducah, citing its strategic infrastructure, skilled workforce, and strong state and local support.
General Matter CEO Scott Nolan remarked, "Seventy-five years ago, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission selected Paducah to help lead the country's original enrichment efforts. With the support of our partners in Paducah and McCracken County, the state of Kentucky, and the Department of Energy, we are proud to return to and reactivate this historic site to power a new era of American energy independence."
“This investment is among the largest our community has seen in more than 75 years, bringing life-changing opportunities to our residents through strong wages and long-term careers,” said Bruce Wilcox, President and CEO of Greater Paducah Economic Development. “For many families, the DOE site is personal. Parents helped build it, their children work there today, and now the next generation has a chance to carry that legacy forward.”
The proposed facility will produce fuel needed for the next generation of nuclear energy, which is vital to America’s future growth in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and other critical industries. The project will also help reshore domestic nuclear fuel production, potentially saving the U.S. $500 million annually by reducing reliance on foreign imports.
“General Matter will be a huge addition to economic development in McCracken County. The large number of high-paying construction jobs to build the plant alone will be a tremendous local benefit. And the hiring of a great many employees at a lucrative pay scale for decades to come will be outstanding,” said McCracken County Judge-Executive Craig Clymer.
Paducah Mayor George Bray added: “The historic investment that General Matter will make in Paducah/McCracken County underscores our community’s role as a partner with both the public and private sectors to help lead the United States into a new era of American energy independence.” He continued: “Paducah embraced the nuclear age 75 years ago, and now, as the country embraces safe and clean nuclear energy to help meet the power demands of the future, the General Matter project validates the importance of the Department of Energy site in Paducah.”
General Matter is the first privately funded American company to develop uranium enrichment technology. The company has been selected as an awardee for DOE’s Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) and High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) acquisition programs and aims to begin enrichment operations in Paducah by the end of the decade. The company has pledged to meet the highest safety and environmental standards, operating under the oversight of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
This announcement reflects a shared vision to position Paducah at the forefront of clean energy innovation and underscores the community’s vital role in advancing America’s energy independence.
For more information, visit General Matter.
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