PHOENIX — There were moments this week when Waste Management Symposia participants could mistakenly think they stumbled into an economic development conference rather than one on nuclear cleanup.

While Department of Energy weapons complex sites have long been economic engines for rural, isolated communities, there was much emphasis lately on reindustrialization. If not a chicken-in-every pot, the potential for mini-reactors, or at least solar power farms, for many nuclear reservations seemed plausible in many presentations.

While not in DOE’s initial round of Cleanup to Clean Energy program, the Portsmouth Site in Ohio and the Oak Ridge Site in Tennessee are courted by developers of small reactors. Elected officials around the Paducah Site in Kentucky, have passed a resolution declaring the community nuclear-friendly. 

Although one small modular reactor project was scratched in the past year, the Idaho National Laboratory could still see one or more advanced reactors deployed by 2027, speakers said.

During the opening session, international speakers stressed the need for more carbon-free nuclear energy worldwide in order to curb the growth of climate change. During many sessions on DOE cleanup sites, many speakers stressed their properties already have infrastructure, such as rail access and big power lines, needed for electric generation. These sites also have local populations already familiar with nuclear operations.

Remember the pandemic? During many sessions there were far more mentions of “jobs” or even the movie “Oppenheimer,” than of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only a handful of participants were wearing masks this year. William Magwood, who heads the Paris-based Nuclear Energy Agency, drew laughs when he expressed his reluctance about addressing Waste Management this year. The last time,Magwood spoke to the conference was in 2020 and a couple of days later, officials shut down the world, he joked.

Jobs and other numbers. Conference organizers said there were a record 3,300 people registered for this year’s event. From appearances at least, there seemed to be a large number of college students and twenty somethings looking for government or corporate jobs in the nuclear sector.

The heavy attendance occasionally made for longish lines for beverages and food, such as bite-size hot dogs.

Many installations touted their employment figures. Triad National Security, National Nuclear Security Administration prime for the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, has seen its headcount swell to roughly 18,000 from 12,500 in fiscal 2019, said DOE manager Stephanie Stringer. The legacy cleanup contractor, Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos (N3B) has another 800 workers.

Some small shops played up their size as well. DOE’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization director Rob Pierce and deputy Tamara Miles, called their entity small but mighty. Despite having fewer than 20 employees they helped DOE steer about $12 billion worth of business to eligible contractors and subs during 2023.

The Portsmouth Site in Ohio employs about 2,500 people currently and the Paducah Site in Kentucky has roughly 1,000 currently, speakers said.

Unlike many other sites, the West Valley Demonstration Project, 30 miles outside Buffalo, N.Y, has a neighboring residence only a mile away, said Kelly Wooley, a manager with the Jacobs-led contractor.