MIT Technology Review is reporting that a new laser enrichment technology could make uranium production more efficient and help secure nuclear fuel supplies. The technology aims to reprocess existing waste material and enrich natural uranium, potentially offering a cheaper and less energy-intensive alternative to traditional centrifuge methods.
The publication said Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) is looking to reprocess uranium waste from a now-closed nuclear enrichment facility near Paducah, Kentucky. This process would enrich material containing small amounts of uranium leftover from older methods, turning it into feedstock comparable to natural mined sources. GLE has a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy for this project and aims to begin processing material by 2030.
Another company, LIS Technologies, founded in 2023, plans to build a laser enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to enrich natural-grade uranium. It hopes to produce material for both conventional and advanced reactors.
Charles Forsberg, a principal research scientist at MIT, told the publication that while interest in laser enrichment has existed for decades, recent improvements in laser technology and geopolitical shifts have made it more attractive. He said Russia's historical dominance in the uranium enrichment market has been challenged since the start of the Ukraine war, leading countries like the U.S. and UK to limit or ban Russian uranium imports. This has created an opening for new enrichment operations and technologies.
GLE CEO Stephen Long said that while individual laser enrichment units are more complex than centrifuges, a full-scale plant would require far fewer units, leading to smaller upfront investments and lower operating costs due to reduced energy consumption. GLE completed a demonstration pilot in 2025 and is working toward commercial-scale operations, with final regulatory approval for its Paducah facility expected in 2027.
Full Article: How lasers could help provide fuel for nuclear reactors