Governor Andy Beshear announced Thursday an important step in a potential major economic development project in McCracken County, as Global Laser Enrichment LLC (GLE) finalized a land transfer with the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The proposed uranium enrichment project would create up to 300 full-time jobs for Kentuckians.
GLE is specifically acquiring 665 acres previously owned by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
Through an agreement with the state, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and the Paducah-McCracken County Industrial Development Authority, GLE now has a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to process uranium stored from past activities at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
GLE plans to establish a new uranium enrichment facility on the acquired site, and this facility will use advanced laser enrichment technology to efficiently convert the stored uranium into new nuclear fuel, while also speeding up cleanup activities at the legacy site.
Formed in 2007, GLE develops laser-based uranium enrichment technology capability in the United States. Uranium is the primary fuel for nuclear power plants that produce a significant portion of the world’s clean energy. GLE’s laser-based technology provides increased efficiency to the enrichment process compared with existing methods.
The scale and timeline of the project are contingent on DOE funding, Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing and support from industry, community and state partners.
Currently a greenfield site, it is strategically located adjacent to the former DOE first-generation Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP), which was shut down in 2013 after decades of operation.
In exchange for 665 acres of the West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will accept ownership of 1,043 acres in Fulton County acquired by the Paducah-McCracken County Industrial Development Authority and funded by GLE.
The new Fulton County property is adjacent to the Mississippi River and will be added to the Obion Creek WMA. The Choate Tract, as it will be called, will be owned and managed by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and is expected to open to statewide regulations for hunting and fishing in spring 2025.
