Kentucky has landed a major $1.76 billion nuclear investment expected to create 240 full-time jobs in McCracken County, marking the largest capital investment project in Western Kentucky history, Gov. Andy Beshear announced during a March 26 press conference.
The project signals renewed interest in the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, which previously produced enriched uranium for U.S. nuclear weapons and later for nuclear power plants before closing in 2013. It follows a $1.5 billion uranium enrichment project announced last year by General Matter in the same area, which was previously the region’s largest investment.
Uranium enrichment involves refining uranium by isolating the uranium-235 isotope and increasing its concentration, making it suitable as nuclear fuel. Nuclear power plants generate electricity by splitting the U-235 atom in a process known as fission, producing heat that powers steam turbines connected to generators.
Global Laser Enrichment plans to re-enrich more than 200,000 metric tons of depleted uranium at the Paducah site under a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy. The project is currently under license review by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
“I am excited about the new investment,” Beshear said, “and the hundreds of new job opportunities it will create for families in Paducah and the surrounding region.”
The project will be supported by state tax incentives.
“This incentive package represents a shared vision in economic development, community revitalization, technological leadership and the creation of a revitalized nuclear fuel supply chain here in the U.S.,” said Global Laser Enrichment CEO Stephen Long.
The U.S. Department of Energy has also awarded the company $28.5 million for the project, which will be located on a 665-acre site adjacent to the former diffusion plant.
The investment comes amid growing federal and state support for nuclear energy. The Trump administration has backed nuclear development while reducing support for some renewable energy projects. Kentucky lawmakers have also worked to expand the state’s nuclear sector after lifting a long-standing moratorium on nuclear plants in 2017.
“This project solidifies our role as a leader in the country’s nuclear power sector,” Beshear said. “It will transform our economy and create opportunities for Kentucky families for generations.”
The announcement is part of a broader wave of economic development activity in the state. Beshear said recent projects this week total nearly $3 billion in investments.
In addition to Global Laser Enrichment, companies such as Cardinal Manufacturing, Slate Auto, AXN Automotive Systems, and Steuart Nutrition have been approved for multi-million-dollar investments across Kentucky.
The governor added that, following the latest approvals, Kentucky has secured more than $4.4 billion in investments during the first quarter of 2026—setting a new state record.
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