Navigating Nuclear: Tennessee

Tennessee has been one of the centers of nuclear innovation in the United States since the first days of the Manhattan Project. Today, Tennessee remains a leader in the nuclear industry and is home to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, four nuclear power plants, and dozens of cutting-edge nuclear facilities, including sites for waste processing and fusion research. Although the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) remains responsible for the regulation of nuclear power plants and fuel enrichment and fabrication facilities, the state of Tennessee, under a 1965 Agreement with the NRC's predecessor agency, is responsible for the regulation of byproduct material, source material, and special nuclear material in quantities not sufficient to form a critical mass.¹ Nuclear companies operating in Tennessee need high-quality legal support to navigate the complex mix of state and federal regulations that govern the use of nuclear materials in the state. In January 2026, the