Two community education meetings have been scheduled for McCracken County residents to provide information and discussion on several topics related to nuclear energy.
The meetings will be held at the Paducah-McCracken Co. Convention and Expo Center on Thursday, June 11 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. and on Friday, June 12 from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Dr. Patrick White is returning to Paducah to lead the meetings. Dr. White is a respected industry leader as an advanced nuclear and technology expert whose work focuses on nuclear energy safety and regulation, nuclear waste management, and nonproliferation issues. He has previously spoken in Paducah and Murray at programs hosted by the University of Kentucky College of Engineering Paducah campus and Murray State University.
Dr. White’s presentation will include information on advanced nuclear energy technologies; the siting, regulation and oversight of nuclear facilities; the nuclear energy ecosystem and supply chain; the potential role and benefits of nuclear energy development for communities; and what it means to be designated as a Nuclear-Ready Community.
Dr. White is recognized for his expertise in technical analysis and stakeholder engagement related to advanced nuclear energy projects. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Nuclear Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Members of the public and McCracken County residents are invited to attend. McCracken County Judge Executive Craig Clymer and Paducah Mayor George Bray will provide opening remarks. Time will also be allocated for public comments.
The meetings are being held as part of the process for a community to obtain state designation as a Nuclear-Ready Community through the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority (KNEDA).
KNEDA was established by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2024 through Senate Bill 198. The Authority serves as a non-regulatory state agency focused on supporting and facilitating energy development, coordinating strategy, and expanding energy education in the state. KNEDA is administratively attached to the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research.
The Nuclear-Ready Community program was developed to help communities demonstrate their preparedness to support potential nuclear energy-ready development.
Additional information about KNEDA and the Nuclear-Ready Community program is available at https://caer.uky.edu/kneda.
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