Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

E74044

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant is a former U.S. Department of Energy uranium enrichment facility in western Kentucky that played a major role in producing enriched uranium for nuclear power and defense.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf industrial facility
uranium enrichment plant
associatedWith United States Department of Energy Environmental Management program
cleanupProgram Superfund
commissioned 1952
constructionStarted 1951
contaminant technetium-99
trichloroethylene
uranium
country United States
decommissioningStatus under decommissioning
enrichmentMethod gaseous diffusion cascade
governedBy Atomic Energy Act of 1954
National Environmental Policy Act
gridConnection large industrial electricity consumer
hasFacilityType nuclear fuel cycle facility
hasIssue environmental contamination
historicalRole major U.S. uranium enrichment facility during the Cold War
supplier of enriched uranium for U.S. defense programs
supplier of enriched uranium for commercial nuclear reactors
listedAs Superfund site
locatedIn McCracken County, Kentucky NERFINISHED
western Kentucky
locatedNear Paducah, Kentucky NERFINISHED
nearCity Kevil, Kentucky
nearWaterBody Ohio River
notableFor being one of the last operating gaseous diffusion plants in the world
role in U.S. nuclear weapons complex
opened 1952
operatedBy Lockheed Martin
Martin Marietta
Union Carbide
United States Enrichment Corporation
operatorType federal government contractor
ownedBy United States Department of Energy
partOf U.S. gaseous diffusion plant network
primaryFunction uranium enrichment
processGas uranium hexafluoride
region United States Midwest
regulatoryAgency United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
safetyProgram radiation protection program
sisterFacility Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant
Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant
siteArea approximately 3,500 acres
status former enrichment plant
technologyUsed gaseous diffusion
usedFor production of enriched uranium for nuclear power
production of enriched uranium for nuclear weapons programs
workforceType union and non-union industrial workers

Referenced by (2)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
United States nuclear weapons complex ("Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (historical)")
includesFacility
Paducah, Kentucky
nearFacility

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