Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LIS Technologies Inc. (“LIST” or “the Company”), a developer of proprietary advanced laser technology and the only USA-origin and patented laser uranium enrichment company, is pleased to announce that initial, hands-on site preparation work has officially begun on its 206-acre LIST Island in the East Tennessee Technology Park Heritage Center in Oak Ridge, home of the former K-25 gaseous diffusion plant and the birthplace of the United States’ nuclear industry.
Figure 1 – LIS Technologies Inc. Announces the Inception of Initial Site Preparation Activities on LIST Island.
This initial phase of work includes comprehensive environmental assessments and site-specific technical feasibility studies, laying the groundwork for what LIST envisions as its flagship commercial laser-based uranium enrichment headquarters and technical campus, named LEU-3, housing the Company’s Project F.U.E.L. (Future Uranium Enrichment with Lasers) and supporting its long-term operational and research objectives.
Figure 2 – Rendering of LIS Technologie’s planned Commercial Laser Enrichment facility, named the LEU-3 Facility, on LIST Island as part of Project F.U.E.L (Future Uranium Enrichment with Lasers)
“This is a huge step forward for our team and our company,” said Jay Yu, Executive Chairman and CEO of LIS Technologies Inc. “We are looking to build back the United States’ uranium enrichment capabilities, and that starts with the LEU-3 Facility and Project F.U.E.L. right here in Oak Ridge, the birthplace of the United States’ nuclear industry.”
The ongoing formal environmental, safety and technical review process will inform the next steps as part of LIST’s previously announced $1.38 billion investment to redevelop the area. It is the third largest nuclear-related investment since the creation of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s Nuclear Energy Fund. LIST Island is expected to become the site of the world’s first U.S.-origin commercial laser uranium enrichment facility, named the LEU-3 Facility, supporting U.S. utilities, next-generation reactor developers, and national defense requirements while helping to reestablish a resilient domestic nuclear fuel supply chain.
Figure 3 – LIS Technologies Inc. Announces the Commencement of Initial Site Preparation Activities on LIST Island.
LIST is anticipating construction and initial commercial operations by the early 2030s, positioning its laser enrichment facility to meet accelerating demand for domestically sourced uranium enrichment.
“These initial steps mark the beginning of a long-term vision for our 206-acre LIST Island,” said Christo Liebenberg, President and Co-Founder of LIS Technologies Inc. “Today, the site consists of little more than access roads, but the vision for our LEU-3 Facility and the home of Project F.U.E.L. is beginning to take shape. Our ultimate goal is to establish an integrated, domestic nuclear fuel capability—from uranium enrichment through deconversion—that can help supply the fuel needed to support America’s existing nuclear fleet and the next generation of advanced reactors. This includes reactors that may ultimately serve the rapidly growing energy needs of AI data centers and other energy-intensive industries.”
“We are progressing with the environmental characterization of LIST Island in order to support an Environmental Impact Statement from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC),” said Julie Olivier, Director for Licensing and Regulatory Affairs of LIS Technologies Inc. “LIST Island has already been heavily studied in the past, and our current data is proving it to be an ideal spot to locate our advanced technology. We anticipate completing data collection in the next few months, followed by submittal of Environmental Report to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in or around 2027.”