Economic-development leaders say Paducah DOE site could host uranium enrichment, AI data centers

Bruce Wilcox of the Greater Paducah Economic Development Organization briefed the McCracken County Fiscal Court on Aug. 25 about several large prospective projects at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Paducah site, including a planned uranium enrichment facility and interest from potential artificial‑intelligence data‑center operators.

Why it matters: The projects, if they advance, would bring large private investment, permanent jobs and additional industrial activity to western Kentucky and could change long‑term economic planning for the county and region.

Wilcox told the court that General Matter (described in his remarks as the “American Enrichment Company”) has signed a multidecade lease with the DOE for about 100 acres on the DOE property and plans to build a U.S.-owned, privately developed uranium enrichment facility to produce low‑enriched uranium (LEU) and high‑assay low‑enriched uranium (HALEU). He said General Matter expects to employ about 140…