The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has released the final environmental impact statement for Global Laser Enrichment's proposed Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility in western Kentucky, GLE and Silex Systems announced, according to American Nuclear Society Nuclear Newswire on October 27. Silex, an Australian company, owns 51% of GLE and developed the laser enrichment technology.
The statement supports issuing a license for construction. GLE filed its license application in July 2025, and the NRC began preliminary work in September 2025. The draft statement came out March 27, 2026.
The site is a 665-acre parcel GLE bought in November 2024 next to the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The application covers up to 2,000 metric tons per year of uranium as natural UF6 equivalent and 6 million separative work units per year of low-enriched uranium. The facility would re-enrich depleted uranium tails to natural levels and enrich natural-grade uranium hexafluoride to a maximum of 8 percent uranium-235 by weight.
The NRC found small to medium effects on surface water, ecology, transportation and socioeconomics, with the socioeconomic effects mostly positive. Other resource areas are expected to see small effects.
A safety evaluation report is still required, and Silex expects it before the end of 2026. License approval is expected in 2027, and GLE plans to begin operations in 2030.
Source: American Nuclear Society Nuclear Newswire - https://www.ans.org/news/2026-10-27/article-8521/gle-and-silex-announce-final-eis-for-paducah-enrichment-facility/