Former Manhattan Project and Cold War properties in Oak Ridge are driving a major economic and energy transformation, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Speaking at the Nuclear Opportunities Workshop in Knoxville, DOE Office of Environmental Management Assistant Secretary Tim Walsh highlighted the Oak Ridge American Energy Hub as a model for repurposing federal land. Decades of environmental cleanup—including the removal of more than 500 facilities at the former East Tennessee Technology Park—have cleared over 2,500 acres for community and private-sector reuse, with hundreds more on the way.

Private businesses locating to the redeveloped properties have announced approximately $10 billion in capital investments and thousands of new jobs. The region has emerged as a national center for the nuclear energy lifecycle, attracting prominent projects spanning:

• Nuclear Fuel & Enrichment: Orano USA, BWXT, LIS Technologies, and TRISO-X.

• Advanced Reactors & Manufacturing: Kairos Power, Radiant Nuclear, and Oklo.

The growth is backed by strong state and local partnerships, including Tennessee’s $95 million Nuclear Energy Fund launched by Governor Bill Lee in 2023. The DOE now aims to replicate the successful Oak Ridge transformation at other former federal nuclear sites nationwide.