OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Deputy Gov. and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter and Laser Isotope Separation Technologies officials announced today the company will expand in Roane County.
LIS Technologies will create 203 jobs and invest $1.38 billion in an Oak Ridge, Tennessee, facility on the formerly named Duct Island. This announcement marks the third-largest nuclear-related investment since the creation of TNECD’s Nuclear Energy Fund.
Upon completion, the Oak Ridge facility, which will locate on the historic K-25 uranium enrichment site, is intended to become the first U.S.-origin commercial laser uranium enrichment plant in the world, supporting U.S. utilities, next-generation reactor developers and national defense requirements while helping to reestablish a resilient domestic nuclear fuel supply chain.
The project underscores Oak Ridge’s historic and continuing role in America’s nuclear enterprise and reinforces Tennessee’s position at the forefront of the nation’s efforts to rebuild domestic uranium enrichment capacity critical to U.S. energy and national security.
Additionally, today’s announcement follows recent funding LIS Technologies received from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In 2024, the company was selected by the DOE as one of six domestic companies to participate in the Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) Enrichment Acquisition Program. This initiative allocates up to $3.4 billion in funding, with contracts anticipated to last up to 10 years.
Founded in 2023 with its office and laser enrichment research and development headquartered in Oak Ridge in the recently renovated K-1330 building, LIS Technologies is the seventh company to locate in Tennessee for its commercial operations utilizing the Nuclear Energy Fund.
The $50 million fund was in Gov. Lee’s recommended 2023-2024 budget and approved by the Tennessee General Assembly. An additional $10 million was allocated and approved in the state’s budget during both the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions, bringing the fund’s total to $70 million since its inception.