New Hampshire passed over in federal ‘nuclear lifecycle campus’ deliberations

In a federal contest for the chance to host a nuclear fuel fabrication and waste disposition site, New Hampshire will not advance to the next round. 

The Granite State is not named on a list of contenders for a possible “nuclear lifecycle innovation campus” envisioned by the Trump administration, according to a Tuesday press release from the U.S. Department of Energy.

That is despite the state’s April submission of a statement of interest in which Gov. Kelly Ayotte expressed a desire to host such a facility in New Hampshire.

The Trump administration envisions the sites as hosts for a new strategy regarding the enduring dilemma of what to do with the nation’s nuclear waste, according to a department spokesperson. In addition to waste disposition, the campuses are also intended to support activities related to fuel fabrication, enrichment, and reprocessing. 

Additional features that are possible, but not guaranteed, include nuclear reactors, “advanced manufacturing,” and on-site data centers.

Ayotte has advocated throughout her term for more nuclear development in New Hampshire, including in a cover letter attached to the “Nuclear Innovation Lifecycle Campus” statement of interest. 

Twenty-six states submitted applications to host nuclear lifecycle campuses, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Idaho were named as potential hosts and will undergo further consideration.