Oak Ridge Reservation Industry Day Presentations 10-15-2025.pdf

Proposed Sites for Rapid Development of AI Data Center and/or Energy Generation

Infrastructure in Oak Ridge

Erin Sutton DOE, Oak Ridge Office of EM Quality and Mission Support Division Director

October 15, 2025

Trey Wheeler DOE, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Site Office Manager

Oak Ridge is located near two interstates with direct access to multiple major metro areas

DOE’s Oak Ridge Reservation contains a national lab, national security site, and industrial center

East Tennessee

Technology Park

Oak Ridge

National

Laboratory

Y-12 National

Security Complex

There are two proposed locations for an AI data center on DOE’s Oak Ridge Reservation

Site B

• Located at the

East Tennessee

Technology Park

• Directly off

Highway 58/Oak

Ridge Turnpike

Site A

• Immediately west of ORNL

• Located at the intersection of

Bethel Valley

Road and TN

Highway 95

• Site Area A is utilized for AI Data Center development, and Site Area B is utilized for a supporting energy project (integrated or phased integrated),

• Site Area A, Site Area B, or both sites are utilized for AI Data Center development, and the Offeror works with a supportive new energy generation effort in the region,

• Site Area B is utilized for AI Data Center development and a supporting energy project (integrated or phased integrated), or

• Site Area B is utilized for new energy generation infrastructure.

Potential Project Configurations

Site A is located near ORNL, nuclear industry, and the proposed site for TVA’s small modular reactor

Acreage & Location

• 95 acres immediately west of Oak Ridge

National

Laboratory

• This land is owned by DOE’s Office of

Science

Site A – AI Data Center Only

• Site A consists of two parcels

• One parcel is 73 acres and the other is

• This land is owned by DOE’s Office of

Science

Site A – acreage and location

Site A - Utilities

Site A – Aerial View

73 acres

22 acres

Pros

• The future land use proposed in the Interim Record of Decision

(IROD) is unrestricted use

• Available utilities include electricity, natural gas, water, and sewer

• No site-specific security protocols or access restrictions

Considerations

• Land use controls include prohibition of groundwater and residential use

• Landscape and topography requires land clearing and dirt work

Site A - Analysis

• 150 total acres, including:

– Defined National Historic Preservation footprint

(~83 acres with restrictions)

– K-25 Building footprint is part of the Manhattan

Park National Historical Park

– Additional 67 acres also available

• This land is owned by DOE’s Office of

Environmental Management

Site B – AI Data Center and/or Energy

Generation Infrastructure

Site B – A growing number of next generation nuclear companies are locating near this site

Site B – Aerial View

Site B – Aerial View

Pros

• Large footprint

• Easily accessible to the public highways; located 5 miles east of Interstate-40

• Available utilities include electricity, natural gas, water and sewer, and fiber optic connectivity

• No site-specific security protocols or access restrictions

Considerations

• National Historic Preservation documents currently restrict development on the K-25 footprint

• Development contingent on agreement with Memorandum of Agreement parties

• Land use controls include prohibition on groundwater use, a requirement for DOE approval for excavations, and a requirement for passive vapor intrusion mitigation

• Groundwater plumes containing volatile organic compounds and the radionuclide

Technetium-99

Site B - Analysis

RFP Process for Rapid Development of AI Data Center and/or Energy Generation

Infrastructure in Oak Ridge

October 15, 2025

Marla Larsen-Williams DOE, Science Consolidated Service Center

Factors for Consideration

Factor Factor Description

1 Project Description

2 Project Plan

3 Return to the Government

4 Organizational Structure, Experience, and Past Performance

5 Financial Capability

Top level of importance

Factors 3 and 5

Second tier of importance

Factor 4

Third tier of importance

Factors 1 and 2

Top Weighted Factors – Factor 3

Factor 3 – RETURN TO GOVERNMENT

Offeror must clearly document the proposed consideration to the government in exchange for the lease agreement interest in the property for the three project periods: development, construction, and initial operation.

The proposed consideration must be substantiated with relevant empirical and quantitative data and analysis of current real estate market conditions, relevant facts and circumstances.

Top Weighted Factors – Factor 5

Factor 5 - FINANCIAL CAPABILITY

The offeror demonstrates a clear and credible financial strategy for the proposed project, encompassing all phases from initial development through decommissioning.

This strategy should address securing necessary capital, managing financial risk, and ensuring long-term financial sustainability of the AI data center and energy generation infrastructure facilities.

Second Tier Factor – Factor 4

Factor 4 – ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, EXPERIENCE, AND PAST PERFORMANCE

Offeror must describe its:

• Corporate organizational structure

• Experience managing and executing projects similar in scope, magnitude, and complexity

• Past performance

Third Tier Factors – Factor 1

Factor 1 – PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Proposals shall include a project narrative that describes a high-level overview of the proposed project. It must include the type of project being pursued, the team’s rationale for pursuing the project, the specific tract of land being pursued, as well as a description of the proposed facility’s conceptual layout and acreage within the tract of land offered by DOE.

Third Tier Factors – Factor 2

Factor 2 – PROJECT PLAN

Include descriptions for executing the project including:

(1) Project approach

(2) Schedule

(3) Milestones

(4) Construction plan

(5) Regulatory approvals

(6) Security plan

(7) Power and compute efficiency

(8) Energy reliability

(9) Utilities

(10) Interconnection

(11) Grid integration & Capital Efficiency

(12) Subscription and offtake agreements

(13) Water efficiency

(14) Community impact

(15) Workforce plan

(16) Mitigation

(17) Risk Management

Selection Process

DOE will rank and select the proposed projects that provide the combined highest performance expectations and confidence based on an integrated and cumulative assessment of all the factors.

Request for Proposal Access

• Locate RFP at sam.gov and search DE-ORR-0037830

• Any updates to the RFP will be listed at sam.gov.

• Questions & Answers will be posted at sam.gov updated regularly throughout the solicitation period.

Q&As and Proposal Due Date/Submittal

All questions must be in writing and directed as follows:

• General RFP questions: ryan.fuesting@science.doe.gov

• Site A specific inquiries: ryan.fuesting@science.doe.gov

• Site B specific inquiries: matthew.reardon@emcbc.doe.gov

Proposals must be received by Ryan Fuesting at ryan.fuesting@science.doe.gov no later than 4:00 pm EST, Monday, December 1, 2025.

DOE will not consider proposals that do not meet guidelines outlined in the RFP.

mailto:ryan.fuesting@science.doe.gov mailto:ryan.Fuesting@science.doe.gov mailto:matthew.reardon@emcbc.doe.gov mailto:ryan.fuesting@science.doe.gov

• Trey Wheeler, DOE Office of Science

• Erin Sutton, DOE Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management

• Marla Larsen-Williams, DOE Consolidated Service Center

• Neelesh Nerurkar, DOE Office of Policy

• Meryl Harris, Jake Todd, Derrick Collins, Cody Farmer, Tennessee Valley Authority

• Freddy Sanches, Joey Sauls, Enbridge

• Randy Hemann, Thomas Pessemier, City of Oak Ridge

Question & Answer Session

Wrap Up

October 15, 2025

Erin Sutton DOE, Oak Ridge Office of EM Quality and Mission Support Division Director

Trey Wheeler DOE, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Site Office Manager

Wrap-Up

All questions must be in writing and directed as follows:

• General RFP questions: ryan.fuesting@science.doe.gov

• Site A specific inquiries: ryan.fuesting@science.doe.gov

• Site B specific inquiries: matthew.reardon@emcbc.doe.gov

Questions and answers will be available on the SAM.gov website:

https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/18ed3c174129430a8a32fe9157553f7f/view

Proposals must be received by Ryan Fuesting no later than 4:00 pm EST, Monday, December 1, 2025.

The recording of this meeting will be available on our YouTube channel

@usdoeoakridge.

mailto:ryan.fuesting@science.doe.gov mailto:ryan.Fuesting@science.doe.gov mailto:matthew.reardon@emcbc.doe.gov https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/18ed3c174129430a8a32fe9157553f7f/view