The U.S. Department of Energy awarded General Matter a $900 million Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract on January 7, 2026, to build and operate High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) enrichment capacity. The ten-year, milestone-based agreement requires General Matter to fulfill the work through its commercial enrichment facility at the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Paducah, Kentucky.
What it means
The contract secures federal funding for domestic HALEU production, a material currently produced at commercial scale only by Russia and China, according to the company. General Matter will execute the project under a multi-decade lease agreement with the Department of Energy announced in August, which is reindustrializing the Paducah site. Equipment for the Paducah operations will be manufactured at General Matter’s facilities in California and at a larger project outside the state.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the project involves nearly $1.5 billion in investment by General Matter in Western Kentucky and will create 140 new jobs. Congressman James Comer stated that over $1 billion in private investment is expected for the initiative. The document noted that the domestic supply chain could save U.S. utilities hundreds of millions of dollars annually. General Matter CEO Scott Nolan said, “This investment in American technology and operations for scalable, clean nuclear power is a defining moment for American energy security and dominance,” while Energy Secretary Chris Wright said, “President Trump is catalyzing a resurgence in the nation’s nuclear energy sector to strengthen American security and prosperity.”
Key facts
- $900 million: Value of the IDIQ contract awarded by the Department of Energy to General Matter.
- Ten years: Duration of the milestone-based contract.
- Paducah, Kentucky: Location of the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant where enrichment capacity will be built and operated.
- Nearly $1.5 billion: Investment amount in Western Kentucky attributed to General Matter by Governor Andy Beshear.
- 140 jobs: Number of new jobs created by the project, according to Governor Andy Beshear.
- Over $1 billion: Private investment expected for the initiative, according to Congressman James Comer.
- Hundreds of millions of dollars annually: Amount saved for U.S. utilities through domestic supply, per the document.
- Founders Fund: Backer of General Matter.
Source: General Matter news release (PR Newswire)