Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant
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| Location | Special Exposure Cohort Employees (SEC): |
| Paducah, Kentucky | Before February 1, 1992 |
Paducah Eligibility |
| EEOICPA Compensation is more likely to be awarded to former Paducha Employee’s if they worked during the SEC Period. Paducha’s SEC Period is before February 1st, 1992. Compensation is typically awarded to employees who worked for at least 250 days and later developed one of the following 22 specified cancers.
Workers whose employment occurred outside of the SEC class period can still file a claim for benefits under Part B or Part E of the EEOICPA. For more information on filing an EEOICPA Claim, contact our firm. You can call us at (513) 651-3700 or toll-free at (877) 450-8665. |
About Paducah
On July 1, 1993, the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC)*, a government-owned corporation formed under the Energy Policy Act of 1992, assumed control of the plant’s uranium enrichment activities. USEC, which was fully privatized in July 1998, continues to produce low enriched uranium for commercial use DOE remains responsible for addressing the environmental cleanup resulting from historic plant operations.
The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant opened in 1952 to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons. During the plant’s Cold War history, more than one million tons of uranium was processed.
Construction of the Paducah plant began in 1951 in response to the increased demand for enriched uranium for nuclear weapons production. Initial operations began in 1952 and full operation occurred in 1955. In addition to producing enriched uranium for weapons, the plant also supplied enriched uranium for the Navy and commercial fuel. The Paducah Plant also acted as the uranium hexafluoride feed point for all gaseous diffusion plants until 1964. Throughout the course of its operations, the potential for beryllium exposure existed at this site.
From 1952- July 28, 1998 (the date USEC was privatized) all 3,556 acres were exclusively controlled by the Government and considered the DOE facility. After that date, only roads and grounds outside the perimeter fence plus approximately 200 acres of grounds inside the fence remain under the exclusive control of DOE’s Office of Environmental Management. The remainder of the footprint is leased to USEC to support uranium enrichment operations.
Paducah Compensation
Below find a Department of Labor graph for the total EEOICPA benefits paid for claims at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant:
