From remediation to renaissance: Our nuclear future begins with cleanup

Eighty years after the Trinity Test launched the nuclear age, America is at the precipice of another pivotal moment. As artificial intelligence drives unprecedented energy demands and accelerates the commercial nuclear renaissance, our industry faces a critical question: How do we rapidly deploy the clean-energy capacity our nation needs?

The answer lies not in greenfield development alone but in completing the nuclear cleanup at our legacy sites to position them for reindustrialization. Environmental cleanup of former nuclear facilities isn’t just about addressing the past—it’s about unlocking the future of American energy dominance.

The Oak Ridge model: Cleanup as an economic strategy

The transformation of Oak Ridge’s East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) embodies this principle. The K-25 uranium enrichment facility—once the world’s largest building, spanning 44 acres—became a contaminated liability after operations ceased in 1985. For decades, five massive gaseous diffusion facilities (~100 acres under roof) and hundreds of support structures stood as monuments to environmental challenges and cleanup costs.

United Cleanup Oak Ridge, an Amentum-led environmental cleanup leader working for the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, tackled the world’s largest environmental cleanup project. Completing this first-ever cleanup of a uranium enrichment complex four years ahead of schedule and $80 million under budget, UCOR achieved something remarkable: the first Manhattan Project “secret city” to fully close its nuclear lifec ycle and open the next chapter of advanced nuclear energy and material production.

The economic results speak volumes: ETTP has attracted billions in investment, created hundreds of new jobs, and now hosts dozens of thriving businesses. Most significantly, it has become the home of next-generation nuclear companies including Kairos Power, Orano USA, and X-energy.

At the site that once enriched uranium for the Manhattan Project, Kairos Power’s Hermes low-power demonstration reactor is now under construction—the first non–light-water reactor permitted in the United States in more than 50 years.

The Tennessee Valley Authority recently signed an agreement to purchase power from Kairos’s Hermes 2 reactor that will also be constructed at ETTP, becoming the first utility to agree to buy power from an advanced reactor. This collaboration, which will deliver 50 MW of reliable 24/7 energy to the TVA grid, will bolster the country’s leadership in advanced nuclear energy.

Adding to the growing momentum, in what state officials say is the largest private investment in Tennessee history, Orano USA’s construction of a $6 billion state-of-the-art uranium enrichment plant in Oak Ridge will help meet future needs for reactor fuel. That facility will be built on 800 acres of federal property, and UCOR has partnered with the state of Tennessee to expedite the land transfer to Orano USA.

Strategic advantages of legacy site redevelopment

In a recent visit to Oak Ridge, Wright defined “Manhattan Project 2.0” as a symbiotic relationship between nuclear energy and AI. In this global race for technological supremacy, legacy nuclear sites offer unique strategic advantages that new, undeveloped locations cannot match.

First, these communities understand nuclear. Host communities that served the nation 80 years ago bring institutional knowledge, workforce expertise, and cultural acceptance that would take decades to develop elsewhere. Oak Ridge’s workforce didn’t just adapt to new nuclear technologies, they embraced them, understanding the national security and economic benefits these projects deliver.

Second, infrastructure matters. Legacy sites retain critical infrastructure elements: electrical grid connections, transportation networks, security systems, and regulatory frameworks developed specifically for nuclear operations. This existing foundation dramatically reduces development timelines and costs, compared with greenfield projects.

Third, environmental cleanup creates immediate dual benefits. Every dollar spent on remediation reduces long-term liability to the American taxpayer while creating developable land. Rather than viewing cleanup as pure cost, the industry should recognize it as investment in future capacity. The Oak Ridge model created by UCOR demonstrates how environmental restoration becomes economic development, turning liability into opportunity.

National security imperatives

America’s leadership in nuclear energy directly correlates to our technological and economic security. China continues with its aggressive nuclear deployment while we debate permitting processes. Russia leverages nuclear exports for geopolitical influence while our legacy sites remain underutilized. The window for maintaining American nuclear leadership is narrowing.

Accelerating cleanup at sites like Hanford, Savannah River, Idaho, Portsmouth, and Paducah isn’t just environmental stewardship—it’s strategic necessity. These locations represent billions of dollars in stranded nuclear infrastructure and expertise. While we invest years in developing new sites, our competitors advance their nuclear capabilities on existing foundations.

The AI boom intensifies this urgency. AI data centers require massive, reliable baseload power that only nuclear energy can provide carbon-free. Tech companies are already partnering with nuclear developers, but project timelines remain the critical constraint. Legacy sites offer the fastest path to deployment, provided we complete necessary environmental work.

The American Nuclear Society fully supports environmental cleanup of former Manhattan Project nuclear sites as a cornerstone strategy for establishing U.S. energy dominance. This position reflects not only environmental responsibility but recognition that these cleanup efforts are essential investments in America’s nuclear future and competitive position in the global energy landscape. As Piercy accurately pointed out in his article, ANS has remained committed to advancing nuclear science and technology for the betterment of humanity.

Industry leaders should champion the Oak Ridge cleanup model nationwide. Other DOE sites from Washington state to South Carolina represent enormous untapped potential for nuclear deployment. Each successful cleanup creates jobs, attracts investment, and demonstrates nuclear energy’s positive community impact.

The nuclear renaissance won’t be built on good intentions alone. It requires practical solutions to real deployment challenges. Environmental cleanup of legacy nuclear sites offers the industry its most powerful tool for rapid, cost-effective capacity expansion.

Oak Ridge transformed from contaminated liability to nuclear innovation hub through bold vision and committed execution by the UCOR workforce. As Wright noted, we’re in a race. The communities that answered the call 80 years ago stand ready to serve again. The question is whether we’ll give them the tools—through accelerated cleanup and strategic investment—to help America win Manhattan Project 2.0.

The future of nuclear energy isn’t just about new technologies. It’s about completing the cleanup of our legacy sites, turning today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities. In Oak Ridge, we delivered on the vision UCOR has termed “Cleanup Today for a Nuclear Tomorrow.” Across America, our industry can flourish in the same way.

ANS President Hash Hashemian is CEO and cofounder of Analysis and Measurement Services Corp. Ken Rueter is president and CEO of UCOR, the DOE’s environmental cleanup contractor for the Oak Ridge Reservation in Tennessee.