The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected Louisiana and four other states to move forward as potential hosts for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses, a federal initiative intended to strengthen the nation’s nuclear fuel cycle, from fuel production to the final disposition of used nuclear fuel. . Louisiana, Idaho, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah were selected from a pool of 26 applicant states and have each signed a memorandum of understanding to further evaluate potential campus locations. According to the DOE, a campus could attract up to $50 billion in capital investment, generate as much as $10 billion in state and local tax revenue, and create nearly 25,000 jobs.
Louisiana’s proposal, which was lead by the Louisiana Department of Conservation & Energy (C&E) in conjunction with Louisiana Economic Development (LED), envisions a multi-site campus model across three specialized hubs: