Piketon and Chillicothe — How is the “reindustrialization” effort of the former atomic plant near Piketon going? How could that help with loosing jobs at Chillicothe’s paper mill?
Kevin Shoemaker is the official spokesman for SODI, the Southern Ohio Development Initiative. The non-profit organization has been designated by the Department of Energy (DOE) for “community reuse” of the facility, which generally means handling land transfers from owner DOE to new occupants.
I attended Tuesday’s open house on the redevelopment effort at the giant Cold War industry in Pike County, officially known as the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, and Shoemaker was recommended to me to answer questions about it. Learn more about the plant and the open house in my other story.
Shoemaker also happens to be the president of Chillicothe Council, and we spoke before a minor council meeting on Thursday.
My three big questions to him:
1) What has changed at the site since September’s open house?
2) How has demolition of the huge processing buildings progressed?
3) What is your perspective on the paper mill issue, from being part of the Piketon effort?
So, what has changed since September?
The two potential facilities that have been announced, the Oklo micro-reactors and the Trillium H2 hydrogen plant, both said they were closer to development at the open house…but not there yet.
Shoemaker said a battery storage facility is under discussion, as well as an AI center. The huge electrical feed to the site, needed for gaseous diffusion, makes it appealing for electric-hungry facilities like AI.
He also said a chemistry testing lab is also being discussed, such as what is needed for the cleanup that is happening there now.
Regarding Trillium, Shoemaker said hydrogen production was an emphasis in the last presidential administration, but there is now now more emphasis on nuclear power and AI – but hydrogen is still ongoing.
I asked if things were “moving at the speed of bureaucracy,” but Shoemaker said the bureaucrats are moving faster – the same people are in charge, but they know progress is needed. He said it took a long time to get where redevelopment of the site is now, but now that they are there, the process is moving better. And, knowing that there is an end use, helps with funding.
He said 49 acres more were just freed up for reindustrialization.
How has demolition of the three huge gaseous processing buildings – 30 acres under roof – progressed?
Shoemaker said one is gone (down to its concrete pad), a second is under demolition, and the third is waiting. Each one has and will take several years to carefully demolish.
He said the Ohio EPA is on-site, but contamination by radiation is less than common industrial contaminants.
Shoemaker pointed out that the “PORTSfuture” website has history on the site, and data on each process building.
What is your perspective on the paper mill issue, from being part of the Piketon effort?
Shoemaker said, the sooner they create jobs at Piketon – high-paying and long-term – the sooner they could relieve layoffs in Chillicothe.
He said it has been a good training ground for him, and being part of the Piketon effort has taught him what questions to ask: about environmental issues, the transfer of property, about utilities available on-site.
Shoemaker said he is working with the mayor, and it’s “all hands on deck” to figure out how to deal with the paper mill.
In addition to SODI, the “PORTSFuture” website has information on the site, including its history. You can also find a few of my my earlier news stories about redevelopment activities archived on PORTSFuture.
Hear Shoemaker in his own words:
