The U.S. Department of Energy unveiled a new permanent display on the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant Thursday at its Washington, D.C. headquarters.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony, along with Paducah mayor Gayle Kaler and McCracken County judge-executive Bob Leeper.
The plant enriched uranium for more than 60 years, first for the military and later for civilian uses, before shutting down two years ago. Ownership of the site has transferred back to the DOE.
McConnell released a statement saying he is “proud to have continued the work of Alben Barkley, Kentucky’s first U.S. Senate Majority Leader, in supporting the workers—and the mission—at this important facility.”
“This permanent display is a testament to the Paducah community and to the generations of Kentucky workers at the plant who have been proud to support our country,” McConnell said, in the release.
