LIS to invest $1.38B, add 203 jobs in Oak Ridge
This drawing depicts the LIS Technologies laser uranium-enrichment facility planned for the formerly named Duct Island in Oak Ridge.
The company, whose name means “Laser Isotope Separation,” will locate in the Roane County portion of Oak Ridge, according to an announcement by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Economic Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter and LIS officials.
To be built on the historic K-25 uranium-enrichment site, the new plant will be the first U.S.-origin commercial laser uranium-enrichment plant in the world, the officials said.
It will be supporting U.S. utilities, next-generation reactor developers and national defense requirements, while helping to “re-establish a resilient domestic nuclear fuel supply chain,” the state ECD said in an announcement.
“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 [crucial] to U.S. energy and national security,” it said.
The announcement follows recent funding LIS Technologies received from the U.S. Department of Energy. In 2024, the company was selected by the DOE as one of six domestic companies to participate in the Low-Enriched Uranium Enrichment Acquisition Program, according to the officials.
This initiative allocates up to $3.4 billion in funding, with contracts anticipated to last up to 10 years.
LIS was founded in 2023 with its offices and laser-enrichment research and development programs headquartered in Oak Ridge in the recently renovated K-1330 building.
It’s the seventh company to locate in Tennessee for its commercial operations utilizing the state’s $50 million Nuclear Energy Fund, proposed by Gov. Lee and approved by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2023.
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.
“Tennessee is leading the nation in advancing American energy independence, which is why innovative companies like LIS Technologies are choosing to do business here,” the governor said.
“By creating the Nuclear Energy Fund, we have uniquely positioned our state at the forefront of cutting-edge research and development, and I look forward to the opportunity this expansion will create for Tennesseans,” Lee said.
“TVA is proud to support LIS Technologies as it establishes its commercial operations in Oak Ridge,” said Don Moul, president and CEO of TVA. “This investment not only reinforces the region’s leadership in nuclear innovation, but also creates more than 200 jobs that strengthen our local economy.
“As the nation’s largest public power provider, TVA is committed to fostering partnerships that advance clean-energy solutions and ensure a reliable, affordable power supply for the communities we serve,” he said. “LIS Technologies’ work aligns with our mission to drive innovation and energy security across the Tennessee Valley.”
