Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant began operations in 1954 to produce low-enriched uranium that was then sent to the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant for further enrichment. Operations were slowly expanded to include the recovery of transuranics, nuclear weapons disassembly and disposal, exotic metals recovery, uranium milling and disposal, and other activities. Initially the materials produced at Paducah were used in the U.S. nuclear weapons industry. Later the plant produced fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.

Over its 50 year operating lifetime, the Paducah Plant has processed, or enriched, more than a million tons of uranium. Most of the enormous tonnage is still located on-site in the form of depleted uranium.

Paducah is the only gaseous diffusion plant in operation at this time. It produces enriched uranium for use in commercial reactors (3-5% U-235). As a byproduct of enriching uranium, Paducah's depleted uranium is available for other uses, such as armor plating for tanks, and anti-tank penetrators.

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant is currently listed on the Superfund National Priorities List.

The current missions of the site include.

• Enrichment of uranium for use in domestic and foreign commercial power reactors.
• Environmental restoration, which include demonstration of innovative cleanup technologies.
• Continued interim storage of depleted uranium hexafluoride until a conversion facility is constructed.