U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright visited the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, also known as Jefferson Lab, in Virginia to discuss ongoing advancements in nuclear science and artificial intelligence. The visit included participation from Governor Glenn Youngkin and business leaders, with a focus on the impacts of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) on scientific innovation.
During his visit, Secretary Wright joined a roundtable discussion with business leaders and Governor Youngkin to address how investments through OBBB are helping build advanced AI capabilities within the Department of Energy’s national laboratories network. These efforts aim to enhance U.S. leadership in both energy technology and artificial intelligence.
Secretary Wright toured the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF), which is recognized for its role in exploring atomic nuclei structure—a key component for technological development. He was also introduced to the new MOLLER experiment, described as a significant scientific initiative at the national level.
“Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility is driving world-class science, training the next generation of STEM leaders, and advancing technologies that will strengthen America’s energy future,” said Secretary Wright. “Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, we’re investing in the breakthroughs happening here and across our National Labs to unleash American energy dominance, lead the world in AI innovation and ensure the U.S. stays ahead of strategic competitors.”
Governor Youngkin emphasized Virginia’s support for facilities like Jefferson Lab: “Jefferson Lab, one of the Department of Energy’s 17 National Laboratories, is a world leader in nuclear research and nuclear science, as well as the largest production facility for intelligence,” he said. “The critical work that we’ve done here in Virginia to support facilities like JLab put us in a strong position to be the federal government’s number-one partner in unleashing all-American, all-of-the-above energy. It was an honor to join Secretary Wright for today’s events as we heard about the enthusiasm from the private sector and the new investments being made under the One Big Beautiful Bill. Virginia is ready to lead the next chapter of America’s nuclear energy renaissance.”
Jens Dilling, Director at Jefferson Lab, highlighted collaboration between federal and state partners: “Jefferson Lab is proud to be a DOE national laboratory and very fortunate to have a strong partnership with the Commonwealth of Virginia, proving that Virginia is indeed for science lovers,” he stated. “We are pleased that Secretary Wright and Governor Youngkin had an opportunity to visit the nation’s premier nuclear physics laboratory, and learn firsthand how we are harnessing AI, advancing nuclear science and training the workforce that will meet our nation’s challenges and power the nation’s next generation of innovation.”
This event marked Secretary Wright’s 14th visit out of 17 planned trips this year across Department of Energy National Laboratories—an effort reflecting ongoing commitment by current administration officials toward supporting growth in U.S.-based scientific research through legislation such as OBBB.
