Paducah

In 1950, the Atomic Energy Commission, a predecessor agency to DOE, selected a 3,556-acre tract of government-owned land near Paducah, Kentucky, as the location to construct a second gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment plant (GDP) to support US national security needs. The Paducah GDP enriched uranium from 1952 to 2013 and was the last government-owned uranium enrichment facility operating in the United States. The Paducah GDP produced low-enriched uranium originally as feedstock for nuclear weapons materials and later for commercial nuclear power plants.

Paducah Photo Gallery

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A construction vehicle outside with a few employees standing beside it
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Crews at the Paducah Site pause to discuss how to best proceed with demolition of one of the 33 inactive facilities demolished earlier this year. The safe demolition of unused facilities has been ongoing at the Paducah Site in recent years as the cleanup mission progresses to prepare the site for reindustrialization.
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A large cylinder tank being lifted at the DUF6 center with a worker in safety gear standing beside it
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Technicians at the Paducah Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Facility monitor operations as the 1,000th cylinder of depleted uranium hexafluoride is safely processed into a stable oxide form.
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A welder wearing protective gear working inside a facility building
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Workers segment a converter in support of continued deactivation activities at the Paducah C-333 Process Building.
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A large package on the back of a truck being lifted by a forklifted
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Technicians at the Paducah Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Project facility prepare to install a newly fabricated cold box, part of a major system upgrade designed to eliminate vacuum pump failures and boost processing efficiency up to 15%.
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A man in protective gear surveying land
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A cultural survey is conducted to identify and document any cultural, historical or archaeological resources that may exist on or near a 188-acre parcel of land at the Paducah Site slated for transfer to the community for future reuse and economic development.
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Employees in safety gear replace valves on large metal cylinders
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Workers at the Paducah Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride plant install valve replacements for the specialized cylinders.
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An aerial view of the Paducah Site
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Depleted uranium hexafluoride cylinders stand in a cylinder yard at the Paducah Site. A portion of the site’s inventory of more than 40,000 remaining cylinders will be available to commercial partners to turn legacy coproduct of the former uranium enrichment process into opportunities for future energy supplies.
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Two employees on a lift crane working on a demolished building
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Crews prepare a legacy building for demolition at the Paducah Site.
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A construction vehicle outside with a few employees standing beside it
Caption
Crews at the Paducah Site pause to discuss how to best proceed with demolition of one of the 33 inactive facilities demolished earlier this year. The safe demolition of unused facilities has been ongoing at the Paducah Site in recent years as the cleanup mission progresses to prepare the site for reindustrialization.
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Crews at the Paducah Site pause to discuss how to best proceed with demolition of one of the 33 inactive facilities demolished earlier this year. The safe demolition of unused facilities has been ongoing at the Paducah Site in recent years as the cleanup mission progresses to prepare the site for reindustrialization.

September 16, 2025

Paducah News

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Acting Site Manager

Portrait of a man in a grey suit with a blue shirt and tie, and glasses
Erik Olds, Acting Site Manager

Erik Olds is the acting Site Manager of the Department of Energy's Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office. In this role, he oversees the deactivation and demolition of the former gaseous diffusion facilities at the Portsmouth, Ohio and Paducah, Kentucky sites, and the Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Project at both locations.

Click here to view full bio.

High-Level Budget Information

FY25 Requested

(in the thousands)

FY25 Enacted 

(in the thousands)

FY26 Requested

(in the thousands)

FY26 Enacted 

(in the thousands)

FY27 Requested

(in the thousands)

$330$344$332$371$374

For more information on the Office of Environmental Management's budget process and performance check out the Budget & Performance page.

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