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
-
The 2026 National Cleanup Workshop explored how the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s restoration and revitalization are helping power and secure the future.September 28, 2026 -
Leaders from the nation’s gaseous diffusion plant complex participated in the “Enriching Communities – A Renewed Purpose for America’s GDP Complex” panel at the National Cleanup Workshop.September 22, 2026 -
The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management released an expression of interest seeking input from American industry on the potential transfer of surplus critical minerals, rare earth elements and other materials located at five EM cleanup sites across the country.September 18, 2026 -
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