In August 1952, the Atomic Energy Commission, a predecessor agency to DOE, selected a tract of land in the Ohio Valley along the Scioto River in Pike County, Ohio, for the site of the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (GDP), the third of three GDPs in the United States. In 1956, the plant began enriching uranium for nuclear weapons. In the 1960s, Portsmouth’s mission changed to focus on producing fuel for commercial nuclear power plants and other national security applications. An extensive environmental cleanup program began at the 3,777-acre site in 1989, with deactivation and decommissioning activities initiated in 2011. Watch the video below to learn more about Portsmouth.
Portsmouth News
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High school students in Ohio and Kentucky, local universities and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management Portsmouth Paducah Project Office collaborated to develop and publish this year’s Student Summary of the Annual Site Environmental Report.May 20, 2025
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A first-of-a-kind program is preparing young adults for careers while providing a pipeline of talent for local companies around the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management Portsmouth Site.May 13, 2025
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The Portsmouth Site Envoy Program builds relationships with dozens of residents and other property owners along the site's fence line.April 29, 2025
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As STEAM Ahead enters its fifth year of bringing science to life for young students in southern Ohio, the popular educational outreach program conducted by mentors from the Portsmouth Site expands into a second county.April 29, 2025
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Four contractors with the Portsmouth Paducah Project Office reached significant safety milestones, collectively achieving nearly 18 million safe work hours.April 29, 2025
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Workers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) Portsmouth Site have reached another milestone by completing construction of the fourth cell at the On-Site Waste Disposal Facility (OSWDF).April 15, 2025
Joel B. Bradburne was named Manager of the Department of Energy's Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO) on December 13, 2021. 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 (DUF6) Conversion Project at both locations.
Click here to view full bio.
High-Level Budget Information
FY22 Enacted (in the millions) | FY23 Request (in the millions) | FY23 Enacted (in the millions) | FY24 Enacted (in the millions) | FY24 Enacted (in the millions) | FY25 Requested (in the millions) |
| $549 | $560 | $580 | $580 | $580 | $600 |
For more information on the Office of Environmental Management's budget process and performance check out the Budget & Performance page.