Global Laser Enrichment said this week it has completed its large-scale enrichment demonstration testing at its Test Loop facility in Wilmington, N.C.
After beginning its demonstration testing in May, GLE said its SILEX laser-based uranium enrichment process is ready for commercial use, according to its Tuesday press release.
“We believe the enrichment activities conducted over the past five months position GLE to be the next American uranium enrichment solution,” GLE CEO Stephen Long said in the release. “Twenty percent of U.S. electricity supply comes from nuclear energy, and GLE is expected to allow America to end its dangerous dependency on a fragile, foreign government-owned uranium fuel supply chain.”
The company will continue its demonstration program through the end of 2025, producing hundreds of kilograms of low-enriched uranium, according to the release. Through the program, GLE hopes to help build a domestic manufacturing base and supply chain to assist with the growth of U.S. enrichment capacity.
Investors have funded over $550 million into GLE’s commercial use, which includes engineering and licensing investments, in Kentucky and North Carolina. GLE filed a license application for the Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in July and the agency accepted the application for review in August.
The new laser enrichment facility would be adjacent to the Department of Energy’s former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Western Kentucky. NRC said recently it is taking comments on a potential environmental impact statement between now and Oct. 6.
If licensed, the Paducah facility is anticipated to re-enrich over 200,000 metric tons of high-assay depleted uranium tails received from DOE according to the press release.
GLE was formed in 2007 by General Electric, Hitachi and Cameco to create uranium enrichment services. In 2019, GE Hitachi sold its 76% stake to Silex and Cameco and by 2021, the joint venture owners restructured its ownership to 51% for Silex and 49% for Cameco.
Silex is an Australian technology company that developed the SILEX laser uranium enrichment technology. Cameco is a uranium fuel provider company headquartered in Canada.