The U.S. Department of Energy has selected five states—Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Idaho—to explore potential sites for nuclear waste storage, according to multiple reports. Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced the decision in a written statement after reviewing 28 applications from 26 states, stating the Energy Department has identified these five initial contenders to further develop “Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses.”
The Trump administration previously indicated it aims to establish “initial facilities” for nuclear waste storage by 2027. Wright described the initiative as “crucial to unleashing America’s nuclear renaissance,” emphasizing its role in expanding domestic nuclear energy capacity and economic growth. The plan reportedly could attract up to $50 billion in private investment, create 25,000 new jobs, and generate $10 billion in state and local tax revenue annually through facilities handling nearly 100,000 metric tons of nuclear waste, uranium enrichment, fuel fabrication, and reprocessing.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox stated the project would “drive affordable, abundant power across our country” and advance “Operation Gigawatt,” a statewide effort to manage the entire nuclear lifecycle from fuel production to advanced reactor deployment. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt expressed optimism about collaborating with communities to realize the campus as part of the state’s energy abundance agenda.
The initiative follows decades of unresolved challenges in permanent nuclear waste storage, including Congress’s 1987 selection of Nevada’s Yucca Mountain site—which faced significant local opposition and was ultimately abandoned. Experts note that finalizing federal storage solutions will require navigating complex state partnerships and legislative processes, particularly as the nation seeks to address nuclear waste while expanding its energy infrastructure.