Tennessee helped usher in the nuclear age. It wants to lead the way again.

[Marlin]

Tennessee helped usher in the nuclear age. It wants to lead the way again.

https://grist.org/energy/tennessee-helped-usher-in-the-nuclear-age-it-wants-to-lead-the-way-again/

[Core Content]

BWX Technologies has purchased a manufacturing facility in Jonesborough, Tennessee, to expand production of high-purity depleted uranium for the Y-12 National Security Complex. This project is part of a broader regional effort to leverage East Tennessee's nuclear infrastructure and expertise to attract federal investment and new industrial jobs.

The expansion coincides with Tennessee's bid to host a Department of Energy nuclear lifecycle innovation campus, which would integrate fuel fabrication, recycling, and waste management. While state officials anticipate economic growth, local residents and environmental advocates express concerns regarding historical contamination, workplace safety, and the long-term management of radioactive materials in the region.

East Tennessee is betting its role in the Manhattan Project will put it at the center of America's efforts to create a nuclear renaissance.

Luther "Sunny" Miller is nearly 80, but in his younger days, he worked at Aerojet, a rocket and missile manufacturer located quite literally in his backyard. He can't prove it, but he worries that his thyroid and bladder problems, and his wife's kidney disease, can be traced to the plant.

Last year, national nuclear supplier BWX Technologies purchased the factory in Jonesborough, Tennessee and announced plans for significant expansion. The new facility will convert depleted uranium oxide supplied by the Department of Energy into high-purity depleted uranium. The 10-year, $1.6 billion contract will supply the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee with the material needed to maintain the nation's nuclear weapons arsenal. Despite the company's promise to bring 175...

Read the full article at Grist:
https://grist.org/energy/tennessee-helped-usher-in-the-nuclear-age-it-wants-to-lead-the-way-again/