Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus

Understanding Tennessee's Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus Opportunity

The Facts. The Questions. The Process.

Tennessee is one of five states selected by the U.S. Department of Energy as a potential host for a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus, or NLIC.

The opportunity could expand Tennessee's role across the nuclear lifecycle, including research, advanced nuclear technologies, fuel production, recycling and reprocessing, and potentially the storage and long-term disposition of used nuclear fuel.

This resource explains what has been proposed, what has been agreed to, what has not yet been decided, and where you can read the source documents yourself.

Where We Are Today

✓ Tennessee Proposal April 2026

✓ DOE Selection July 2026

✓ TN–DOE MOU August 2026

Host Agreement Current phase

Project Decisions Future

Regulatory and Environmental Review Future

Important:

Selection as a potential host state and execution of the MOU do not constitute approval of a particular storage, recycling, reprocessing, or disposal facility. Specific terms are expected to be addressed through a Host Agreement and subsequent project-specific processes.

What We Know

Tennessee is one of five potential NLIC host states.
Tennessee and DOE have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
Oak Ridge is the focus of Tennessee's proposal.
The NLIC concept encompasses much more than waste management.
The MOU contemplates receiving both in-state and out-of-state used nuclear fuel, spent nuclear fuel, and high-level radioactive waste.
Recycling and reprocessing are contemplated.
Potential final disposition in Tennessee is contemplated.
A separate Host Agreement is anticipated.
The MOU addresses federal responsibility for long-term storage and disposition facilities.

What Has Not Yet Been Decided

Exactly which facilities will be developed.
Final locations of individual facilities.
Whether and where interim storage would occur.
The location, design, or capacity of any final-disposition facility.
The quantities of material that might come to Tennessee.
How much material could originate outside Tennessee.
Transportation routes and shipment frequencies.
Specific recycling or reprocessing technologies.
Final community-benefit arrangements.
Complete environmental and regulatory review schedules.

Latest Developments

August 2026

Tennessee and DOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding

July 2026

DOE announces TN as a potential Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus state

April 2026

Tennessee submitted Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus proposal to DOE

Documents & Primary Sources

We encourage readers to review information directly from the agencies and organizations
responsible for the NLIC process and nuclear regulation.

State of Tennessee Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus Information Page
View the State's NLIC page
Tennessee's Full Public NLIC Proposal to DOE
View the State's proposal
Signed Tennessee-DOE Memorandum of Understanding
Read the MOU
Governor Lee: Tennessee Positions Oak Ridge to Lead Nation's Next Era of Nuclear Energy
Read the April 2026 announcement
Tennessee Selected as Potential NLIC Host
Read the July 2026 announcement
U.S. Department of Energy DOE Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus Program
Visit DOE's NLIC page
DOE Announces Five Potential Host States
Read DOE's announcement
Understanding Spent Nuclear Fuel
5 Fast Facts About Spent Nuclear Fuel
Advanced Nuclear Fuel Recycling Program
Learn about DOE's recycling program
Spent Fuel and High-Level Waste Disposition
DOE Office of Spent Fuel and High-Level Waste Disposition
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Spent Fuel Storage Regulations
NRC 10 CFR Part 72
Spent Fuel Transportation Regulations
NRC 10 CFR Part 71
Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Standards for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste
EPA Radiation Protection Standards
State Regulation Tennessee Division of Radiological Health
Learn about Tennessee's radiological regulatory program

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tennessee becoming the nation's nuclear waste disposal site?

The July 2026 Memorandum of Understanding establishes a framework for Tennessee and DOE to continue developing the NLIC concept.

Among other provisions, the MOU anticipates negotiation of a separate Host Agreement that would determine the terms and conditions under which an NLIC would operate.

The MOU says that future Host Agreement is expected to address:

financing and capital structure
privately developed nuclear and industrial facilities
infrastructure
receipt of in-state and out-of-state used nuclear fuel, spent nuclear fuel, and high-level radioactive waste
recycling or reprocessing of that material to the maximum extent feasible
potential facilities for final disposition of nuclear material in Tennessee
regulatory responsibilities
safeguards and security
workforce development
stakeholder engagement

The MOU also states that it is not a legally binding agreement or contract.

Read the document:
Signed Tennessee-DOE MOU

Is the MOU the final Host Agreement?

No.

The MOU specifically says that the detailed activities needed to implement the NLIC would be established through a separate Host Agreement.

The MOU also provides that either party may terminate it if a Host Agreement has not been executed by September 30, 2026, with 30 days' written notice.

That makes the Host Agreement one of the most important next documents for Tennesseans to understand.

Could spent nuclear fuel from other states come to Tennessee?

Potentially, yes.

The signed MOU specifically says that the future Host Agreement is to provide for the receipt of both in-state and out-of-state used nuclear fuel, spent nuclear fuel, and high-level radioactive waste.

That does not mean shipments have been authorized or that a particular facility or transportation route has been approved. Those details remain to be developed and would be subject to the applicable legal and regulatory processes.

Source: Section 2.4 of the Tennessee-DOE MOU

What is spent or used nuclear fuel?

Spent nuclear fuel is fuel that has been removed from a nuclear reactor after producing energy.

It remains highly radioactive and requires shielding and careful management. It also retains significant potential energy.

DOE reports that more than 90 percent of the potential energy remains in nuclear fuel after it has been used in a conventional reactor.

Today, spent commercial fuel in the United States is generally stored first in water-filled spent-fuel pools and later can be transferred into dry storage systems made from steel, concrete, or other shielding materials.

Learn more:

DOE: 5 Fast Facts About Spent Nuclear Fuel

DOE: The Nuclear Fuel Cycle

How much spent nuclear fuel exists in the United States?

DOE reported in 2025 that more than 95,000 metric tons of commercial spent nuclear fuel were being stored at 79 sites across more than 30 states.

Unlike many forms of industrial waste, the physical volume is relatively small, but its radioactivity and longevity require specialized storage, security, transportation, and ultimately disposal.

Learn more:
DOE: Research on the Nation's Spent Nuclear Fuel

Is spent nuclear fuel simply "waste," or can it be reused?

Both concepts are relevant.

The United States historically has treated commercial spent fuel primarily as material awaiting disposal. However, DOE is now pursuing advanced recycling and reprocessing technologies intended to recover useful materials from used fuel.

DOE says less than 5 percent of the potential energy in conventional nuclear fuel is typically used during its initial reactor cycle. Research is underway to recover additional energy and valuable isotopes and reduce the volume of material requiring final disposal.

Learn more:

DOE Advanced Nuclear Fuel Recycling Program

DOE Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Does recycling eliminate the need for long-term disposal?

No.

Recycling and reprocessing can recover useful materials and may substantially reduce the amount and characteristics of material requiring disposal, but they do not eliminate the need to manage residual radioactive waste.

That distinction is important.

A credible discussion of recycling should not suggest that all waste disappears. The question becomes what material remains, in what form and quantity, and how that remaining material will be safely managed.

Where is America's spent nuclear fuel today?

Most commercial spent nuclear fuel remains at current or former nuclear power plant sites around the country.

DOE reported that more than 95,000 metric tons are currently stored at dozens of sites in more than 30 states.

The federal government has responsibility under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act for ultimate disposal of commercial spent nuclear fuel, but the United States does not currently have an operating permanent repository for commercial spent fuel.

Learn more:

DOE Office of Spent Fuel and High-Level Waste Disposition

Would an NLIC storage facility be permanent or temporary?

That has not yet been fully determined for Tennessee.

The State's proposal publicly references both interim and long-term storage opportunities.

The signed MOU goes further by contemplating infrastructure that could include final disposition of nuclear material on land within Tennessee.

Those are different concepts:

Interim storage means storing material safely for a defined or potentially extended period before its ultimate disposition.

Final disposition means permanently isolating residual nuclear material.

TN² will update this page as the State and DOE provide additional information about what specific facilities are being considered.

Has a site for long-term disposal been selected?

The State's public proposal identifies candidate areas for different NLIC activities, but the publicly available information does not establish that a final long-term disposal facility has been selected and approved.

This distinction matters.

Identifying potential or candidate sites for study is different from completing site characterization, environmental review, regulatory review, licensing, authorization, and construction approval.

See the State's complete public proposal:

Tennessee NLIC Proposal

Who would regulate these facilities?

That depends on the type of facility and activity.

The Tennessee-DOE MOU anticipates a combination of DOE oversight, Nuclear Regulatory Commission jurisdiction, and Tennessee's existing regulatory authority.

The MOU specifically states that facilities for storage and permanent disposition of residual and associated nuclear materials located on land in Tennessee would be licensed by the NRC and that the State of Tennessee would not be the licensee.

Tennessee is also an NRC Agreement State. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Division of Radiological Health regulates certain radioactive materials under that agreement and performs environmental radiation monitoring.

Learn more:

Tennessee Division of Radiological Health

NRC Regulations for Spent Fuel Storage

Could groundwater be contaminated?

This is an appropriate question for any proposed long-term disposal facility and cannot responsibly be answered for a Tennessee facility until a specific site and design have been proposed and evaluated.

Federal environmental standards for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste address protection of the public and the environment, including pathways through which radioactive material could potentially reach people or groundwater.

Any proposed Tennessee disposal facility would require detailed site-specific technical analysis of geology, hydrology, engineered barriers, potential release pathways, and long-term performance.

Rather than promise that contamination is "impossible," the appropriate questions are:

What are the site characteristics? What engineered barriers are proposed? What standards must be met? How will performance be evaluated over time? Who independently reviews those analyses?

Learn more:
EPA Environmental Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel

How would spent nuclear fuel be transported?

Spent nuclear fuel cannot simply be placed on an ordinary truck or railcar.

Transportation is regulated under federal requirements, including NRC regulations for radioactive-material transportation packaging. Spent fuel is transported in specially engineered packages designed to provide containment, radiation shielding, criticality control, and protection under both normal transportation and specified accident conditions.

DOE has also developed specialized rail equipment for future large-scale movement of spent nuclear fuel.

A Tennessee NLIC transportation plan, including potential routes, shipment frequency, quantities, emergency preparedness, and security arrangements, has not yet been publicly finalized.

Learn more:

NRC: Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Material, 10 CFR Part 71

DOE: Atlas Railcar for Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation

Who would be responsible if Tennessee hosts a long-term facility?

The signed MOU provides an important answer.

DOE agrees to maintain its responsibility under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act and other applicable federal authorities for the development and long-term operation and security of facilities for storage and permanent disposition of residual and associated nuclear materials, even if DOE contracts with others to perform those activities.

The MOU also says Tennessee would not be the licensee for such a facility.

Future legislation and the Host Agreement could further define these responsibilities, so this is an area TN² will continue to follow closely.

Would existing environmental laws still apply?

Yes.

The Tennessee-DOE MOU expressly states that it does not waive DOE's obligations under applicable federal and state laws and permits, specifically referencing laws including:

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Clean Water Act
Clean Air Act
Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
Atomic Energy Act
Tennessee Air Quality Act
Tennessee Water Quality Control Act
Tennessee Solid Waste Disposal Act
Tennessee Hazardous Waste Management Act
radiological health regulations
transportation regulations

The precise regulatory pathway will depend upon the facilities and activities ultimately proposed.

Will the public have an opportunity to participate?

The Tennessee-DOE MOU commits both parties to stakeholder engagement.

DOE agrees to participate in stakeholder engagement related to NLIC activities and "collaboration-based siting," while Tennessee agrees to conduct stakeholder engagement related to NLIC activities.

Additional opportunities for public input could occur through environmental and regulatory proceedings associated with particular facilities.

TN² believes public engagement should begin well before final decisions are made and should include access to credible technical experts, public documents, and clear answers to difficult questions.

What Has Not Yet Been Decided

As of today, several important details remain unresolved or have not been fully disclosed publicly.

Among them:

The final terms of the Tennessee-DOE Host Agreement
Exactly which NLIC facilities will be developed
The final locations of specific facilities
Whether Tennessee ultimately hosts an interim storage facility
The design, capacity, and location of any long-term disposition facility
What types and quantities of nuclear material might be received
How much material could come from outside Tennessee
Transportation routes and shipment frequencies
The technologies that would be used for recycling or reprocessing
The characteristics and quantity of residual material requiring disposal after recycling
Funding responsibilities
Economic and community benefit arrangements
Additional federal legislation required
Additional Tennessee legislation required
Detailed environmental and regulatory review schedules
Long-term monitoring and stewardship requirements

As those answers become available, TN² will update this resource.

Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus

Understanding Tennessee's Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus Opportunity

The Facts. The Questions. The Process.

Where We Are Today

What We Know

What Has Not Yet Been Decided

Latest Developments

Documents & Primary Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do You Want to Know

Click Here to Submit Your Questions or Request A Speaker/Subject Matter Expert

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