The McCracken County Fiscal Court passed a resolution Monday demanding certain actions from the Department of Energy regarding the closing of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. In May, the DOE and USEC failed to negotiate a new contract to enrich uranium at the federally owned plant. The plant’s shutdown could result in the loss of at least 1,100 jobs. The court’s resolution called on the DOE to implement plant cleanup strategies for Paducah that would allow USEC employees to transfer to DOE contractors as they are laid off. The resolution also demanded the department continually fund cleanup efforts. The Court also wanted the DOE to act on GE-Hitachi's Global Laser Enrichment proposal submitted in the department’s Expression of Interest process. Judge-Executive Van Newberry said GE brings a plan to the table.
“They want to build a new plant right next to the current DOE facility but use some of the current DOE facility infrastructure—water, water treatment, electrical switching yards—that sort of thing,” Newberry said.
Newberry said GLE plant could provide 250 to 400 jobs.