When the U.S. Department of Energy issued a Request for Information on January 28, 2026, it didn’t expect silence. By the April 1 deadline, 25 to 28 states had submitted responses, meaning nearly half of all U.S. states were competing for a chance to host a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus.
The RFI was designed to build voluntary partnerships between the federal government and interested states. The goal is to create a complete, end-to-end nuclear fuel cycle strategy. That means everything from fuel production to waste storage would be handled in one coordinated system. The DOE said it plans to move quickly, with results expected within roughly six months.
Several states made their ambitions clear. Tennessee submitted a detailed proposal focused on Oak Ridge as its top candidate. The proposal included potential sites, key campus functions, and plans for both short-term and long-term nuclear waste storage. Utah and Tooele County also responded, tying their submission to the state’s broader push to expand nuclear energy.
Tennessee and Utah didn’t wait to be invited — they came prepared, with detailed proposals already in hand.
The National Association of State Energy Officials, which represents 56 state and territory energy offices, runs an Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative with 11 member states. Many of those states were likely among the respondents. The DOE hasn’t yet released a full list of which states submitted responses. The story was reportedly reported by author Trey Rorie and published under the RadWaste Monitor page, which requires a login to view the full article.
These campuses are meant to strengthen the entire nuclear energy supply chain. Waste management is a central piece of the plan. The DOE emphasized the need for safe, durable, and cost-responsible solutions. Energy security and U.S. energy dominance were also listed as major goals. The DOE described waste disposition as the “anchor” for campuses, treating front-end fuel cycle activities as secondary to the ultimate disposition of nuclear material. Nuclear energy’s ability to produce carbon-free electricity at scale makes waste disposition planning especially critical, as long-term storage solutions remain one of the most unresolved challenges in the industry.
There are still regulatory questions to work out. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will need to provide guidance on how to safely run multiple nuclear facilities at a single site. Emergency preparedness rules and EPA requirements are also under review.
The federal-state model is voluntary. States can choose whether to participate. Officials stressed that early community engagement will be key to building public trust. The DOE said flexibility in how each partnership is structured will be critical to making the program work.
References
- https://www.ans.org/news/article-7898/whos-in-the-running-for-doe-nuclear-lifecycle-innovation-campuses/
- https://www.exchangemonitor.com/multiple-states-respond-to-does-nuclear-lifecycle-hub-inquiry/
- https://www.naseo.org/Data/Sites/1/media/documents/policy/naseo-fm-response-to-doe-lifecycle-rfi-32726.pdf
- https://www.tn.gov/governor/priorities/governor-response-to-doe-rfi.html
- https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-seeks-hosts-nuclear-lifecycle-innovation-campuses
- https://www.etftrends.com/nuclear-energy-content-hub/companies-win-states-host-nuclear-campuses/
- https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/4e30976204964df3b556ff7149dae444/view
