Latest news with #Paducah
The Verge
6 days ago
- Business
- The Verge
AI could turn your town nuclear
These days, Paducah, Kentucky — population 27,000 and home to the National Quilt Museum — prides itself as 'Quilt City.' But decades ago, it was also called the 'Atomic City' — a moniker it could soon regain as AI's energy needs bring Paducah's nuclear past back to life. The Department of Energy (DOE) operated a uranium enrichment plant in Paducah for more than 60 years until the plant shuttered in 2013 amid a downturn in nuclear energy. The same year, Paducah was designated a UNESCO 'creative city' for its quilts, a title it now boasts on its website (along with a city-led initiative to make Paducah more 'considerate and kind'). Today, the enrichment facility is in the spotlight again after a Peter Thiel-backed startup announced plans to revive the shuttered plant. In July, Donald Trump's administration also chose Paducah as one of four sites where it says it'll partner with private companies to develop AI data centers and energy projects. Big Tech — thirsty for enough electricity to power its AI ambitions — wants to make nuclear energy cool again. It's all playing into the Trump administration's plans to remake the US power grid without solar and wind power. If they manage to revitalize nuclear energy in America, the US is going to need more enriched uranium. And that supply chain could bring big changes to even small cities like Paducah. Big Tech — thirsty for enough electricity to power its AI ambitions — wants to make nuclear energy cool again General Matter emerged from stealth mode earlier this year, led by former SpaceX engineer Scott Nolan. Peter Thiel, who cofounded PayPal and the datamining company Palantir that's selling software to the Trump administration to surveil people who migrate to the US, joined General Matter's board. And Nolan stood in the Oval Office with Trump on May 23rd as he signed executive orders ostensibly aimed at ushering in 'a nuclear energy renaissance.' At an August 5th event in Paducah, General Matter shared details about its vision for the facility. It says it'll develop what it considers the 'the nation's first U.S.-owned, privately developed uranium enrichment facility' on the site and that it has signed 'a multi-decade, one hundred-acre lease' with the DOE. General Matter plans to start enriching uranium in Paducah by the end of the decade and 'produce the fuel needed for the next generation of nuclear energy, central to America's aspirations in AI, manufacturing, and other critical industries,' according to a statement on X. (A DOE press release says enrichment operations aren't planned until 2034, however, and that construction is slated to start in 2026.) That doesn't quite answer some key questions about the company's plans. (General Matter didn't respond to several emails from The Verge.) Will the company rely on the same outdated technology the shuttered plant has always used or build something new? If it does plan to revamp the facility with modern technology, does it plan to produce the same kind of low-enriched uranium that America's existing nuclear reactors run on, or does it think it can be one of the first plants to produce more highly enriched uranium (called HALEU) for advanced reactors? The answers to those questions will define how ambitious of a project this really is, and the impact it could have on power grids across the US. The recent DOE press release notes that General Matter is one of four companies the agency selected in October of last year to provide enrichment services for HALEU, although the DOE also announced plans to contract General Matter for low-enriched uranium in December. Enrichment is just one step, and kind of a headache, in the nuclear supply chain. Uranium first has to be mined and milled. Naturally occurring uranium has low levels of the isotope U-235 that nuclear fission reactors split to release energy. The uranium has to be converted into gas and then enriched to about a 5 percent concentration of U-235 to make fuel for a traditional reactor. Following a boom in nuclear power plants built in the 1970s and 1980s, however, the industry lost ground to gas-fired power plants generating electricity at lower costs. Nuclear reactors and uranium enrichment plants shuttered across the US. But now, the opposite is happening. Microsoft and Meta have inked deals over the past year to revive old reactors. Other tech giants, including Amazon and Google, have committed to supporting companies designing advanced reactors that are supposed to be smaller, easier, and cheaper to build — potentially solving many of the problems that have plagued the nuclear energy industry for years, if they can eventually prove that these technologies are going to be able to perform at commercial scale. That's all driving up demand for uranium enrichment, now seen as a significant bottleneck in the nuclear energy supply chain. General Matter isn't the only operation seeking to enrich uranium in Paducah. The DOE has had a deal with another company called Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) since 2016 to sell it leftover tails, depleted uranium, from years of enrichment for nuclear weapons and reactors at the site. GLE has been developing a new way to enrich uranium using lasers that's supposed to be efficient enough to re-enrich uranium tails so that they can be used to make fuel again. General Matter similarly plans to re-enrich depleted uranium tails in Paducah, according to the DOE press release, although we still don't know what kind of technology it will use to do so. Laser technology has yet to be used to enrich uranium at commercial scale. Over the past decade, there just wasn't enough demand for more uranium enrichment capacity in the US to move forward, says Nima Ashkeboussi, vice president of government relations and communications at GLE. Then Russia — a major supplier for nuclear fuel globally — invaded Ukraine, and in 2024, and the US barred imports of uranium from Russia. GLE applied for a license in June to finally start re-enriching the depleted uranium tails at a site adjacent to the Paducah plant, and expects to hear back from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in about 18 months. If all goes well, GLE plans to have its facility up and running by 2030 so it can start making the low-enriched uranium traditionally used by existing nuclear reactors. If at least one of the advanced reactors makes it to commercial operation, Ashkeboussi says that'll be a market signal that it can start producing more highly enriched uranium (called HALEU) that next-generation reactors need. For now, only Russia has the capability to commercially produce HALEU. But already, data centers and AI have been a major driver in reinvigorating nuclear energy, Ashkeboussi tells The Verge. 'We see that as a huge growth potential,' he says. Both the Biden and Trump administrations have worked toward onshoring the nuclear supply chain again. The US currently has the capacity to enrich about a third of the uranium its nuclear reactors need. For Joe Biden, nuclear energy supported US climate goals of slashing planet-heating pollution by transitioning away from fossil fuels in the power grid. Trump is sabotaging US climate commitments and renewable energy projects, but still says nuclear energy has a role to play when it comes to making sure US tech companies have enough electricity to dominate the AI market. The plans for Paducah seem to fit neatly into the Trump administration's vision for AI, which it released last month. In short, the plan includes fast-tracking the development of energy-hungry data centers in conjunction with primarily fossil fuel and nuclear power plants by limiting environmental reviews. 'It seems their mindset is construction and production at all costs.' The rush to build, especially as the Trump administration simultaneously guts the Environmental Protection Agency and Nuclear Regulatory Commission, has raised some flags over how much oversight and community participation there will be with these new projects. 'I don't have any confidence in what the administration is doing to protect public health and safety. It seems their mindset is construction and production at all costs,' says Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists that has been critical of the environmental and security risks nuclear energy can pose. Nuclear energy has been a divisive technology among people concerned about climate change and pollution. It's a carbon pollution-free source of electricity. But uranium mining near the Grand Canyon has already sparked opposition from environmental advocates and the Havasupai Tribe over how it could affect nearby communities and the water sources on which they rely. And the federal government has yet to solve decades of wrangling over where to store radioactive waste from nuclear reactors. Adding to those concerns, the Trump administration wants to build on federal lands and even repurpose polluted Superfund sites for all this infrastructure. The shuttered enrichment plant in Paducah itself is a Superfund site, which means it's on a list of places so contaminated that the Environmental Protection Agency has stepped in to prioritize their cleanup. That legacy shows the pitfalls and hurdles that policymakers and companies will have to try to avoid if they want to bring nuclear energy back to small-town USA. 'Regardless of what's happening with the Trump administration, this is a massively bipartisan undertaking regarding uranium enrichment. There is a lot of support for it right now. I think there's a lot of momentum to really get it right,' says Rowen Price, senior policy advisor for nuclear energy at the nonprofit Third Way, which supports nuclear energy. Local lawmakers, for their part, have shown optimism over Paducah potentially playing a pivotal role in the future of AI and energy in the US. General Matter's $1.5 billion proposed project in Paducah is supposed to create 140 jobs, according to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (D-KY). 'Just a few years ago, the idea of Kentucky leading the next wave of nuclear energy development may have seemed ambitious,' Sen. Danny Carroll (R-KY) wrote in an op-ed in the Lexington Herald-Leader. 'Paducah is again at the center of America's nuclear future.' Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. 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Reuters
05-08-2025
- Business
- Reuters
General Matter signs lease with US energy department to enrich uranium
Aug 5 (Reuters) - General Matter, a U.S. startup hoping to enrich uranium for fueling nuclear reactors, signed a lease with the Department of Energy on Tuesday to build a facility at a former federal plant in Kentucky. The $1.5-billion project will be at the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The U.S. built the site in the 1950s to produce enriched uranium, initially for nuclear weapons. The facility later produced enriched uranium for nuclear reactors, but closed in 2013. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with operations planned for 2034, the DOE said. The plant is expected to create about 140 permanent jobs, the company said. General Matter CEO Scott Nolan said reactivating the site would "power a new era of American energy independence." General Matter held a ceremony in Paducah attended by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, U.S. senators and representatives, and DOE officials. The company did not say how much enriched uranium it will produce. While UK-based Urenco has the capacity to supply about a third of U.S. commercial reactor needs of enriched uranium from a plant in New Mexico that is expanding, the U.S. is heavily dependent on foreign suppliers, including Russia. Former President Joe Biden put a ban on Russian enriched uranium imports that allows waivers until 2028. General Matter is one of several companies that have received DOE grants to produce both low-enriched uranium, or LEU, and a special fuel called high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU. The companies need to get licenses from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. HALEU could be used in high-tech reactors that plan to start operating around 2030. General Matter did not reveal the technology it plans to use to enrich uranium, nor the funding of the project. It said this year it was "incubated within" Founders Fund, a venture capital fund, in which Nolan is a partner. The DOE said the lease provides General Matter with at least 7,600 cylinders of uranium hexafluoride to supply fuel that can be enriched into reactor fuel. The process will save Americans about $800 million in avoided disposal costs, the DOE said. Global Laser Enrichment, a company owned by Silex Systems ( opens new tab and Cameco ( opens new tab that is one of six that won initial U.S. contracts to produce domestic uranium fuel, also plans to enrich uranium in Paducah. It plans to use lasers to enrich rather than centrifuges. "From a standpoint of technology readiness, from the regulatory timeline, no one's going to get an NRC license quicker than us," Nima Ashkeboussi, GLE vice president of government relations, said in an interview. GLE plans to enrich tailings, or waste byproducts left over from the DOE's enrichment programs. General Matter said the "vast majority" of the uranium it will enrich will be from domestic sources. The DOE is reserving tailings for it to enrich in the event of supply shortages, it said.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beloved Regional Furniture Chain Announces It's Closing All Stores
At first glance, furniture stores seem to be prepared for the continued rise of and reliance on technology in the retail industry. Furniture is subjective, as two people could end up with completely different opinions on the same item. That difference in opinion has kept the traditional showroom in business, as customers are able to get a good look at what they're potentially buying instead of hoping for the best through online shopping. The traditional model won't be enough to remain financially viable for one furniture chain, as they've announced that they will be closing all of their stores over the next few weeks and months. Trees n Trends will be closing all six of its current retail locations. The chain is based out of Paducah, Kentucky and also has stores in Henderson and Bowling Green. Other locations include Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Jackson, Tennessee and Jonesboro, Arkansas. "We, all of us, here at Trees n Trends love what we do. But the time has come for us to say goodbye," the chain announced on Facebook, revealing a liquidation sale with heavily discounted merchandise. "This is one of my very favorite stores! It always has such beautiful and unique items, so yes, I'm very sad over this news," said one dismayed commenter. "I hope you know how many people loved Trees n Trends and over the years, came to depend on shopping there, and miss your store's presence. There is nothing here locally that compares. It's a sad, sad day for your customers," said another patron. Each Trees n Trends location is around 30,000 square feet according to the company's website. The front third of that space is dedicated to "core categories,"depending on the time year that patrons visit the store. The Wallace Family, which has operated the store as its family business since 1992, thanked customers for their support over the years. "We have been greatly blessed to have been able to work so closely with our family," the Wallace family said in its statement. "A heartfelt Thank You to our customers, our employees, and our family all of whom have made our journey of the last 30 plus years possible!" Beloved Regional Furniture Chain Announces It's Closing All Stores first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 30, 2025
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Integrated Theranostics Solutions and Bridge Oncology Launch Turnkey Theranostics Program to Help Fast-Track Radioligand Therapy Adoption
Strategic partnership brings Nuclear Medicine and Oncology together to advance the future of Theranostics PADUCAH, Ky., June 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Integrated Theranostics Solutions (ITS) and Bridge Oncology today announced a strategic partnership that brings together two leading consulting service providers to offer the market's only full-service, end-to-end solution for building and scaling theranostics programs. This exclusive collaboration equips private oncology clinics, independent urology practices, academic health systems, and regional networks, looking to enter theranostics, with the operational, clinical, and financial tools needed in one of medicine's fastest growing fields. Healthcare providers used to face months of delays trying to assemble expertise across multiple facets like regulatory compliance protocols, imaging infrastructure, revenue cycle operations and staffing models for theranostics. Many gave up before seeing patient results. "Today, organizations can launch a complete theranostics program with a single partner — from site readiness and clinical workflows to billing optimization and multi-site scaling — without juggling multiple vendors or long timelines," explained Adam Brown, founder of ITS. This comprehensive service offering brings together strong subject matter expertise in Nuclear Medicine, Theranostics, and Radiation Oncology to provide full program execution to help organizations effectively meet the demand to improve patient access to new diagnostic and therapeutic options. These services integrate eight key pillars, which include: Assessment and Strategic Planning Patient Care Coordination Regulatory Compliance Imaging and Equipment Integration Revenue Cycle Management Staffing Solutions Site Design and Readiness Training and Education "With the global Theranostics market projected to grow from $4.3 billion in 2024 to $12.7 billion by 2029,1- healthcare organizations are under increasing pressure to enter the space with confidence and speed," explained Jordan Johnson, CEO of Bridge Oncology. "The need for turnkey, low-risk program development for theranostics treatments has never been greater." "By joining forces, we can deliver a high-quality theranostics program in a financially sustainable way, streamlining reimbursement and cost recovery," Brown continued. "Although these types of programs can be complex, when they are executed well, they can support multi-site expansion, boost the institutional reputation, and support physician recruitment." While every engagement is tailored to a unique, organization-based strategy, the combined service line is intended to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation to accelerate program adoption and revenue generation, providing flexible solutions. "This marks the first time nuclear medicine and radiation oncology have come together to help make theranostics a practical reality," said Dr. Arpit Chhabra, a practicing radiation oncologist and partner in Bridge Oncology. "By integrating diagnostic imaging with targeted therapeutic intervention, we can achieve more accurate tumor characterization and deliver personalized treatment plans that elevate the standard of patient care. Ready to remove the roadblocks in your Theranostics journey? Book a call through our website and let's make it happen. 1Global Theranostics Market to Triple, Reaching $12.7 Billion by 2029." BCC Research, 26 Sept. 2024 For further information, please contact: Adam BrownIntegrated Theranostics SolutionsTime Zone: CST – Central time Tel: 770-715-9892Email: info@ About Integrated Theranostics Solutions Integrated Theranostics Solutions (ITS) is a consulting and management firm dedicated to advancing the field of theranostics. ITS bridges the gap between innovation and implementation, helping healthcare providers, researchers, and industry leaders navigate the complexities of theranostics with strategic insights and tailored solutions. From operational guidance to program development and everything in between, ITS supports the growth and integration of theranostics in clinical and research settings. About Bridge Oncology Bridge Oncology is a healthcare consulting and services company that supports all aspects of oncology care for clinical, financial, and operational excellence. With more than 20 years' experience supporting integrated cancer care practices and community oncology programs, Bridge Oncology is a trusted partner for organizations seeking to improve clinical workflow, create greater operational efficiency, and maximize financial performance. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Bridge Oncology Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mail
16-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
The idyllic Southern gem paying people THOUSANDS to move there
This colorful river city is calling all remote workers. The Kentucky city of Paducah is offering an incentive package worth thousands of dollars, luring professionals to call the area home.
