For more than 80 years, the Tri-Cities has answered the nation’s call.

Born of the Manhattan Project and anchored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford site and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), our community has played a defining role in America’s national security and energy leadership.

Today, that legacy continues – built upon a deliberate strategy to transform the region’s assets into a platform for clean energy, advanced manufacturing and economic diversification – while simultaneously moving the cleanup mission forward.

As the region’s lead economic development organization, TRIDEC’s mission is clear: advocate for safe, effective cleanup while positioning the Tri-Cities for its next chapter of growth.

Forward progress

The past several years have marked tangible progress at Hanford.

Most notably, the startup of the Low-Activity Waste Vitrification Facility at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant represents a generational milestone.

For decades, Hanford’s 177 underground tanks – holding 56 million gallons of legacy defense waste – symbolized the scale of the challenge ahead. Now, vitrification is no longer theoretical. It is operational. Converting low-activity tank waste into stable glass logs for safe disposal is a critical step toward reducing environmental risk and demonstrating long-term progress.

Important discussions are also happening about grouting the portion of Hanford’s low-activity tank waste that won’t be vitrified. Grouting offers the potential to accelerate risk reduction by removing and safely stabilizing additional tank waste in a timely and cost-effective manner. Used strategically, approaches like this can enhance cleanup while maintaining safety and environmental standards.

Beyond tank waste, Hanford crews have made steady gains in soil remediation, facility demolition, groundwater treatment and river corridor cleanup. Each milestone reflects thousands of skilled workers – nearly all of whom live here in the Tri-Cities – doing this complex work safely and effectively.

This progress matters not only environmentally, but also in the opportunities it helps us to create.   

Energy hub of the Pacific Northwest

But cleanup alone is not the end state. It is the bridge.

Over the past decade, the community – working closely with DOE and industry – has demonstrated that portions of underutilized Hanford land can be safely transitioned to productive economic use. In 2015, DOE transferred 1,641 acres to local control, opening the door for job-creating projects that align with both federal missions and regional strengths.

Today, that model is expanding. A broader vision contemplates a multi-thousand-acre corridor linking existing industrial development to regional energy infrastructure. This corridor would co-locate advanced nuclear generation, data centers, industrial manufacturing and research facilities, leveraging Hanford’s unique advantages.

Those advantages are substantial:

• More than 15,000 nuclear-skilled professionals in the region.
• Proximity to PNNL, a global leader in energy systems, grid modernization, nuclear energy research and artificial intelligence.
• Access to Energy Northwest, owner and operator of the Pacific Northwest’s only commercial nuclear power plant, with plans to develop new advanced reactors nearby.
• Strong community support for new nuclear and industrial development, including from local governments and utilities.
• A proven industrial base capable of heavy manufacturing, nuclear services and complex project execution.

Few places in America can offer this combination of land, workforce, power reliability and national security alignment.

New nuclear, industrial opportunity

The United States is entering a new era of energy policy – one focused on reliability, decarbonization, domestic manufacturing and AI-driven innovation.

This will require large amounts of new 24/7 power, and nuclear energy is central to that conversation. Advanced reactor technologies, next-generation fuels, and co-located nuclear and data center operations are no longer theoretical concepts. They are moving through licensing and commercialization pathways now.

The Tri-Cities is uniquely positioned to support this deployment.

With decades of nuclear operations and cleanup expertise, our workforce understands safety culture, quality assurance and regulatory rigor. Every nuclear weld in the world traces back to knowledge pioneered here. That institutional expertise is a national asset.

Co-locating new nuclear generation with energy-intensive facilities – such as AI data centers or advanced manufacturing – offers a powerful model: resilient, 24/7 carbon-free power paired with secure, domestic industrial capacity. At a time when grid reliability and supply chain security are top national concerns, this alignment strengthens U.S. competitiveness.

Additionally, opportunities in decarbonized industrial manufacturing – from advanced materials to clean fertilizer production – can build upon the region’s agricultural and energy strengths, and help Washington state meet its decarbonization goals. Pairing abundant, low-carbon power with heavy industry is not just good economics; it is smart climate and trade policy.

Forward-looking strategy

None of this diminishes our commitment to cleanup. On the contrary, diversification reinforces it.

A strong regional economy ensures sustained political and public support for Hanford’s mission. It broadens our tax base, attracts new talent and creates career pathways for the next generation of engineers, scientists and skilled trades professionals.

Our message to federal partners is straightforward:

• Continue the momentum on cleanup – fully fund vitrification operations, advance treatment strategies like grouting where appropriate, and maintain steady progress on risk reduction.
• At the same time, designate appropriate DOE-controlled lands for advanced energy and industrial deployment. Accelerate permitting, transmission approvals and licensing processes where possible. Expand research partnerships. Align federal, state and local priorities to move projects forward with urgency.

The Tri-Cities has always delivered when the nation has asked. From weapons production to environmental remediation, and now to energy leadership, our community has demonstrated resilience and innovation.

The Hanford site began as a symbol of national urgency. Today, it can become a model of national reinvention – where cleanup excellence and clean energy deployment move forward together.

For over 80 years, we have served. With the right partnership and vision, we are ready to lead again.

David Reeploeg is vice president for federal programs at the Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC).