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.
Paducah News
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Pens, paper and clipboards are becoming things of the past at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Paducah Site as employees use barcode scanning technology to swiftly inventory thousands of pieces of equipment in a 2.1-million-square-foot legacy facility being prepared for demolition, leading to more efficient cleanup.September 1, 2026 -
This special-edition episode of Energycast chronicles a landmark partnership in which companies are investing $100 billion to redevelop portions of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Paducah Site into a data center campus accompanied by new energy infrastructure. August 25, 2026August 25, 2026 -
Local math, science and technical skills teachers recently visited the U.S. Department of Energy’s Paducah Site to get a firsthand look at work opportunities and develop lesson plans to prepare students for future nuclear energy and other STEM careers. August 18, 2026August 18, 2026
