CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has formally joined a federal initiative aimed at expanding the nation’s domestic nuclear industry, Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday, casting the move as an opportunity to attract new manufacturing, energy and jobs to the state.
State signs memorandum to join multistate DOE effort
The governor said the state signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy to become the sixth participant in the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus initiative. The program, selected earlier this year for five potential host states by the DOE, is intended to support activity across the full nuclear fuel lifecycle.
Earlier this year, the Department of Energy identified Idaho, Tennessee, Utah, Oklahoma and Louisiana as initial potential hosts. Morrisey said West Virginia worked with DOE to join the initiative and will now participate in evaluating sites, infrastructure and workforce capabilities.
“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 in the state news release. “We aren't interested in simply being the sixth state on a list. We're at the table, and now we're going to compete.”
The governor framed the decision as a continuation of the state's industrial role in U.S. energy production, noting West Virginia’s existing steelmaking, metallurgical coal and natural gas sectors that could support a domestic nuclear supply chain. He directly appealed to companies considering where to locate components of an expanded nuclear industry.
What the initiative could cover
The state news release describes the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus as capable of supporting a broad set of activities related to nuclear energy. Those activities include:
- Fuel fabrication and enrichment
- Reprocessing and recycling used nuclear fuel
- Advanced reactor deployment and power generation
- Research and advanced manufacturing
State leaders pointed to West Virginia’s steel-producing capacity as a reason the state could play a role in building new nuclear plants and components. Officials said the initiative could create new demand for metallurgical coal and for natural gas, both key industries in the state.
State seeks to compete for projects and jobs
Morrisey emphasized competition among the participating states, saying West Virginia would not simply be a signatory but would actively pursue investment. The memorandum framework will guide DOE and state officials as they assess potential locations and workforce readiness.
Local economic development officials have frequently pointed to workforce retraining and industrial conversion as central to attracting new energy-related projects, though the news release did not specify particular sites, timelines or projected job counts tied to this MOU.
National context and next steps
The Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus initiative is part of a broader federal interest in strengthening domestic nuclear capabilities for energy and national-security reasons. By expanding locations engaged in nuclear fuel-cycle activities and advanced reactor development, the DOE aims to build supply chains and manufacturing capacity across multiple states.
| Participating states | Role |
|---|---|
| Idaho | Selected earlier by DOE |
| Tennessee | Selected earlier by DOE |
| Utah | Selected earlier by DOE |
| Oklahoma | Selected earlier by DOE |
| Louisiana | Selected earlier by DOE |
| West Virginia | Joined via memorandum of understanding |
Officials did not release detailed timelines or identify specific West Virginia sites in the public announcement. The memorandum establishes a framework for evaluation, meaning any concrete proposals, permitting, construction or federal approvals would follow further study and coordination.
Supporters of expanded nuclear activity argue it could deliver stable baseload power and high-skill jobs, while critics often raise concerns about costs, radioactive waste management and community impacts. The West Virginia statement focused on economic opportunities and the state’s industrial capacity.
As the DOE and West Virginia move forward with evaluations under the MOU, state leaders will likely seek to line up workforce training, infrastructure studies and potential industrial partners — steps that local officials say are necessary for converting a memorandum into projects that create jobs and tax base.
Gov. Morrisey framed the announcement as an invitation to private companies: “To the companies building America's nuclear future, our message is simple: Come to West Virginia.”
