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
-
Emergency preparedness teams recently participated in an annual graded exercise at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Paducah Site but staying ready is something they practice all year long.October 27, 2026 -
First Senate-confirmed EM leader in more than six yearsOctober 20, 2026 -
A delegation with record participation by more than 90 local leaders, elected officials and community stakeholders from Paducah, Kentucky, gathered at the U.S. Department of Energy headquarters in Washington, D.C., during the annual Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce D.C. Fly-In to meet with DOE Office of Environmental Management leadership.October 13, 2026