When people hear "nuclear company moving to the Bywater," the natural question is whether a reactor is coming to the neighborhood. It isn't. What's coming is an office, a fabrication shop and a training center built around a model power plant that uses steam and electricity, not nuclear fuel.
What was announced
On Sept. 23, Louisiana Economic Development announced that Applied Atomics will invest $8.2 million in an 18,500-square-foot site at 3333 Chartres St. LED says the project will create:
- 41 direct jobs averaging $121,000 a year, which LED says is 79% above the Orleans Parish average.
- An estimated 141 indirect jobs, for 182 total potential jobs. Indirect jobs are estimates of positions created at suppliers and local businesses, not hires by the company.
The site will hold corporate and technical offices, a light fabrication and component assembly shop, a control room and a training center.
What's a Plexiplant?
The centerpiece of the training center is an outdoor "Plexiplant." LED describes it as a subscale, integrated power plant model that uses steam and electricity for hands-on training and equipment testing. Think of it as a flight simulator for power plant operators: trainees can practice running the systems around a reactor, like pumps, valves, turbines and controls, without any radioactive material.
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno described it in LED's announcement as "a non-radioactive facility."
Timeline
| Milestone | Target |
|---|---|
| Interior buildout complete | End of 2026 |
| Plexiplant online | First quarter of 2027 |
| Full training center capabilities | Third quarter of 2027 |
The state is offering its LED FastStart workforce training program, and the company is expected to participate in the High Impact Jobs program, according to LED. Newlab New Orleans helped the company evaluate and identify the site.
"A huge energy producer, this is a place where Applied Atomics can fit in really nicely," CEO Ben Kellie said in the announcement.
How it fits Louisiana's nuclear push
The Bywater announcement lands in the middle of a broader state effort:
- March 2026: Gov. Jeff Landry's administration launched a Nuclear Strategic Framework, Technical.ly reported.
- July 2026: The U.S. Department of Energy named Louisiana one of five candidate states, with Idaho, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah, for its Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses. DOE says a campus could draw up to $50 billion in investment and nearly 25,000 jobs, and could include co-located data centers.
- Manufacturing: Turner Industries has announced nuclear fabrication facilities in New Iberia and Port Allen, expected to create 1,000 direct jobs, according to Technical.ly.
- Existing plants: Entergy's agreement to power Meta's Richland Parish data center includes potential increased output from the Waterford 3 nuclear plant, LED said in July.
What we don't know yet
LED's announcement focuses on the headquarters and training center. It does not say where Applied Atomics plans to deploy reactors, when, or whether any would be in Louisiana. Building an actual reactor would require federal licensing through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a multi-year process. We'll be asking the company about its plans.
Verify it yourself
What would you want to know from a nuclear company setting up shop in your neighborhood? Send us your questions and we'll put them to Applied Atomics. Send us a note.
Sources
- Louisiana Economic Development: Applied Atomics brings advanced nuclear headquarters and training center to New Orleans (Sept. 23, 2026) (Primary source)
- Technical.ly: Louisiana on shortlist for federal nuclear energy campus (July 29, 2026)
- Louisiana Economic Development: Meta commits more than $50 billion (July 13, 2026) (Primary source)
- New Orleans CityBusiness: Applied Atomics New Orleans headquarters (Sept. 23, 2026) (Not opened; listed for reference)