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.
Portsmouth Photo Gallery
An excavator operator fills a dump truck near one of two cells being built at the On-Site Waste Disposal Facility at the Portsmouth Site.
Portsmouth News
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The Trump Administration is Bringing New Power Online, Lowering Energy Prices, Creating Thousands of Jobs, and Modernizing Infrastructure in Southern OhioMarch 20, 2026
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The U.S. Department of Energy, alongside the U.S. Department of Commerce, today announced a unique public-private partnership with SoftBank and AEP Ohio to redevelop DOE land, modernize energy infrastructure, and develop advanced computing in Southern Ohio.March 20, 2026
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Successful cleanup and reuse efforts underway at the Oak Ridge, Paducah, and Portsmouth sites are vividly illustrating the Office of Environmental Management’s ability to successfully deliver its vision of nuclear restoration and revitalization across the DOE complex, federal and contractor leaders said. March 17, 2026March 17, 2026
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Radiation Technician Camron Griffey demonstrated that always being prepared can save a life. March 17, 2026March 17, 2026
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The U.S. Department of Energy’s Portsmouth and Paducah sites recently released annual reports of their environmental monitoring and compliance activities central to cleanup as they transition from nuclear remediation to nuclear renaissance. March 10, 2026March 10, 2026
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Erik Olds laid out how the two organizations contribute to the U.S. Department of Energy’s priorities during a recent regional business opportunities exchange held by the Energy Technology and Environmental Business Association. March 3, 2026March 3, 2026
Acting Site Manager
Erik Olds is the acting Site Manager of the Department of Energy's Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO). 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
FY24 Requested (in the millions) | FY24 Enacted (in the millions) | FY25 Requested (in the millions) | FY25 Enacted (in the millions) | FY26 Requested (in the millions) | FY26 Enacted (in the millions) |
| $493 | $580 | $600 | $593 | $582 | $580 |
For more information on the Office of Environmental Management's budget process and performance check out the Budget & Performance page.