U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell offered praise for the Trump administration Thursday afternoon, following the Department of Energy’s selection of Paducah as one of four locations needed for “cutting-edge artificial intelligence” data centers and energy generation projects.
Specifically, West Paducah’s Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
In a written statement, McConnell said this was “great news” for the Paducah community, and that the plant “has long held a critical role in advancing U.S. national security,” and that it yet again “is poised to be a national leader in an emerging and important technology.”
In a letter dated May 5 written by Board Chair Greg Grissom of Greater Paducah Economic Development, the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant Citizens Advisory Board (CAB) issued a formal recommendation — urging the U.S. Department of Energy to consider the Paducah site for future artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure development.
A consensus recommendation was adopted May 15, supporting the Department of Energy’s nationwide plan to identify federal sites suitable for rapid construction of AI data centers.
The Paducah CAB—along with more than 20 other organizations—endorsed the letter, highlighting the advantages of the DOE Paducah Site including: its location, utility infrastructure, available land, skilled workforce and potential for economic impact.
The recommendations also aligned with a January executive order from the Trump administration, “removing barriers to American leadership in artificial intelligence,” which promoted U.S. global competitiveness in AI.
The plant site was once used to enrich uranium for weapons and commercial reactors, and is currently undergoing deactivation and demolition. Transforming it into a tech hub, local leaders note, would revitalize the region.
There is a goal of beginning operations at selected sites by 2027.
