CHARLESTON — West Virginia has signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy to become the sixth state participating in the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus initiative, creating an opportunity for nuclear energy investment, advanced manufacturing and thousands of new jobs.
“This is a major opportunity for West Virginia to help lead America’s nuclear renaissance and bring another generation of investment and good-paying jobs to our state,” Morrisey said, according to a statement from the governor’s office.
The Department of Energy estimates a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus could attract billions of dollars in capital investment and create many thousands of jobs. The initiative could support activities including nuclear fuel fabrication and enrichment, recycling used nuclear fuel, advanced reactor deployment, power generation, research and advanced manufacturing.
The MOU establishes a framework for West Virginia and DOE to evaluate potential locations, infrastructure and workforce advantages while engaging communities and industry partners. The agreement does not guarantee that West Virginia will host a campus, with future development dependent on additional agreements, private-sector participation, regulatory approvals and other decisions.
“We’re at the table, and now we’re going to compete,” Morrisey said.
West Virginia officials said the effort could also create opportunities for the state’s steel, metallurgical coal, natural gas, manufacturing, utility and education sectors.
