Approval granted for the construction timeline of the Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility, sanctioned by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF) is set to resume operations in the medium term, following the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) review of the full license application submitted by Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) in July 2025.
GLE, an American uranium enrichment company, signed a lease with the U.S. Department of Energy for the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The company aims to lead efforts to re-establish Paducah's historic role in the U.S. nuclear energy ecosystem, deploying new U.S. based depleted uranium tails re-enrichment and low enriched uranium production capacity.
The NRC's acceptance review is a preliminary step before the NRC conducts a substantive safety and environmental review. While no exact timeline for the NRC's acceptance completion or restart dates has been provided, construction at the Paducah site is expected to begin in 2026, assuming timely regulatory approvals.
Gov. Andy Beshear has expressed anticipation for returning to Paducah to celebrate the next key milestone for the exciting and historic project. He highlights Kentucky's leadership in nuclear energy and the strong partnerships at the federal and local levels, as well as in the private sector, in relation to the Paducah project. The re-opening of the facility is anticipated to be the largest economic investment ever for western Kentucky.
By re-enriching the DOE's Paducah inventory, GLE aims to reduce dependence on foreign fuel sources from state-owned entities. The facility is expected to significantly contribute to the rebuilding and strengthening of the domestic uranium, conversion, and enrichment services supply chain. GLE remains on track to begin re-enriching the DOE's Paducah inventory of depleted uranium tails no later than 2030.
Timothy Knowles, the Licensing & Regulatory Affairs Manager at GLE, expresses gratitude for the NRC's timely acceptance review and anticipates continued collaboration for a streamlined licensing schedule. The NRC's acceptance confirms that the application is sufficiently complete to proceed to formal review.
The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, formerly known as the Paducah Enrichment Plant, was leased by General Matter. President Trump's Executive Order, Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, dated May 23, 2025, is hopeful for a timely review of the PLEF.
GLE plans to lead efforts to re-establish Paducah's historic role in the U.S. nuclear energy ecosystem, deploying new U.S. based depleted uranium tails re-enrichment and low enriched uranium production capacity. The resumption of operations at the PLEF is contingent on the NRC completing its review of the full license application submitted by GLE in July 2025. Construction is planned to start in 2026 on the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site, following NRC licensing and regulatory milestones. The operational timeline is dependent on subsequent NRC approvals and construction progress, with the key milestone after NRC acceptance review being the start of construction in 2026.
The re-opening of the Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF) is anticipated to be a significant economic investment for western Kentucky, given its potential contribution to the domestic uranium, conversion, and enrichment services supply chain. In the finance sector, GLE, an American uranium enrichment company, aims to reduce dependence on foreign fuel sources by re-enriching the DOE's Paducah inventory.
