By: Braden Stover, Senior Advisor to the Commissioner, Nuclear & Quantum Strategy, Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development (TNECD)
A Defining Moment
Tennessee’s story has never been written by people who waited for the future to arrive. It has been written by people who stepped forward to build it.
The technologies that will define the next century, how we power our homes, protect our nation, create good-paying jobs and ensure our children have opportunities to stay and succeed here in Tennessee, are being developed today. The states that choose to lead will shape America’s future. The states that hesitate will spend decades trying to catch up.
That is why this moment matters. It isn’t simply about nuclear energy or quantum technology. It’s about whether Tennessee continues its tradition of solving the country’s toughest challenges and creating opportunities for generations of Tennesseans. It’s about ensuring that our children and grandchildren inherit a state that doesn’t just participate in the future but helps build it.
Tennessee has always answered that call. From the birth of modern electricity through TVA to the scientific breakthroughs that transformed Oak Ridge, our state has stepped forward when the nation needed bold ideas, hard work and people willing to solve problems others thought were impossible. We didn’t wait for someone else to lead. We volunteered.
Today, another defining moment is in front of us.
Building on a Legacy of Leadership
Advanced nuclear energy and quantum technology will shape the next generation of American leadership. They will determine how we power our communities, strengthen our manufacturing base, secure our nation and compete in a rapidly changing global economy. For Tennessee, this isn’t about chasing the next trend. It’s about continuing a story we’ve been writing for generations.
Few places in America are better positioned to lead. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) continues to push the boundaries of scientific discovery. TVA is helping chart the future of advanced nuclear energy. Companies across Tennessee are investing billions of dollars in the nuclear fuel cycle, advanced manufacturing and next-generation technologies. Our universities are conducting world-class research, while our community colleges and TCATs are preparing the skilled workforce that will build and sustain these industries for decades to come.
The Tennessee Advantage
While these assets are impressive, they are not what truly sets Tennessee apart. Our greatest advantage is our willingness to work together.
When there’s a difficult problem to solve, we don’t spend much time debating whose responsibility it is. Researchers, manufacturers, utilities, universities, entrepreneurs, local communities and state leaders have a long tradition of pulling in the same direction. That collaborative approach has helped make Tennessee a national leader in automotive manufacturing, advanced manufacturing and logistics. It can do the same for nuclear and quantum.
Innovation in Tennessee has never been about technology for technology’s sake. It’s about rolling up our sleeves, tackling hard problems and finding practical solutions together. That mindset has defined our past, and it will define our future.
Why it Matters
These technologies represent far more than scientific advancement. They are about creating careers that allow our children and grandchildren to build their futures here at home. They are about attracting companies that want to invent, manufacture and grow in Tennessee. They are about ensuring America remains the global leader in technologies that are essential to both our economic prosperity and our national security.
Most importantly, they are about preserving the pioneering spirit that has always defined our state.
The people who transformed Oak Ridge didn’t know exactly what the future would look like. They simply understood that the work mattered. They believed that if Tennessee answered the call, the impact would extend far beyond our borders.
History proved them right.
Answering the Next Call
Now it’s our turn.
The world is entering another period of profound technological change, and the decisions we make today will shape our economy, our workforce and our nation’s competitiveness for generations.
Tennessee can choose to follow, or Tennessee can choose to lead.
If history is any indication, I know which path the Volunteer State will take.
We’ve never been afraid to volunteer for the hard work. We’ve never backed away from solving the nation’s toughest challenges. And I believe the next chapter of that story will once again be written here in Tennessee.
Because just as previous generations helped build America’s energy future and changed the course of history through innovation, this generation has the opportunity, and the responsibility, to help build America’s nuclear and quantum future.