The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of potential host states for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses, integrated, full-cycle nuclear ecosystems. Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah were chosen for the federal-state partnerships in July 2026, and West Virginia was announced as the sixth state in September 2026. Tennessee co-chairs the NASEO Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative, an effort to advance next-generation nuclear technologies. Louisiana, Utah, and West Virgina are participating states, and Idaho serves as an observer.
DOE’s announcement follows DOE’s Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses Request for Information (RFI), released in January 2026, to determine state interest in hosting Innovation Campuses. Anticipated to attract investment, manufacturing, and new jobs, potential campuses could allow for fuel fabrication and enrichment, deployment and generation, colocation, and managing used nuclear materials.
Memorandums of Understanding were signed by the states selected and U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, signaling an effort to continue exploring opportunities and state hosting capacity for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses. States that finalize negotiations for an Innovation Campus will sign hosting agreements with DOE at a later date.