West Virginia Joins Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Center Program

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 9, 2026, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey announced that the state has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to join the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Center (NLIC) program, becoming the sixth participating state.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Energy had identified Idaho, Tennessee, Utah, Oklahoma, and Louisiana as potential host states. With West Virginia joining, the state will work with the DOE to evaluate potential sites and advance possible host agreements.

According to reports, the NLIC program aims to support activities related to the full lifecycle of nuclear fuel, including fuel fabrication, recycling, advanced reactor deployment, and nuclear power generation. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright stated that each center is expected to attract $50 billion in capital investment.

Morrisey stated that West Virginia possesses the energy, workforce, and industrial base to supply steel and manufactured components for related projects both in-state and beyond. The state government believes this partnership could drive nuclear investment, advanced manufacturing growth, and create thousands of energy and manufacturing jobs.

Morrisey also noted that West Virginia recently announced over $81 billion in new private sector investment, bringing the state's total announced investment since October 2025 to approximately $96 billion, with an expected creation of more than 19,000 jobs.