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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →LIS Technologies is developing a laser-based method to enrich uranium, but it is not yet producing commercial nuclear fuel. The company was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2024 to prepare a proposal for a domestic low-enriched uranium (LEU) procurement program. That was an early procurement milestone—not a production contract. In January 2026, DOE finalized a task order with another company, Orano Federal Services, while LIS remained eligible to bid on future orders.
What LIS Technologies is developing
LIS Technologies Inc., also identified in government materials as Laser Isotope Separation Technologies Inc., describes itself as a U.S.-based developer of a patented laser process called LIST. The company says its process uses infrared lasers to selectively excite molecules containing desired isotopes. It identifies LEU for existing civilian power plants, high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for advanced reactors, and stable isotopes as target applications; these are intended uses, not evidence of commercial output.
A federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award describes the process as “Condensation Repressing Isotope Separation by Laser Activation,” or CRISLA, and refers to a continuous-wave laser operating at a 5-micron wavelength. The award record discusses possible uranium-enrichment and isotope-production applications. Neither that description nor the company’s materials independently establish commercial-scale throughput, cost, or efficiency.
Where laser enrichment fits in the nuclear-fuel chain
Enrichment is one stage between uranium conversion and fuel fabrication. Uranium ore is processed and converted to uranium hexafluoride (UF6), enriched to increase the share of uranium-235, and then fabricated into fuel. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) says typical reactor fuel contains roughly 3–5% uranium-235. Enrichment capacity matters because it is a necessary part of supplying fuel for nuclear power plants, but it does not by itself produce finished reactor fuel.
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How the laser approach works
The NRC explains that laser separation uses tuned laser light to affect a particular uranium isotope, changing its properties so it can be separated from other isotopes. The system includes lasers, optics, and a separation module. The principle is distinct from the familiar enrichment method of gas centrifuges, though the sources cited here do not provide an independent, like-for-like comparison of costs, energy use, or output.
What the DOE selection means—and what it does not
On December 10, 2024, DOE selected six companies, including LIS Technologies, for its domestic LEU acquisition program. DOE said each selected vendor would receive $2 million to prepare a proposal. The broader program provides for up to $3.4 billion over ten years. These figures describe the program and proposal-preparation stage; selection did not guarantee LIS a future supply contract.
DOE’s program page reports that it finalized a task order with Orano Federal Services on January 5, 2026. The other five companies selected in 2024, including LIS Technologies, remain eligible to bid on future task orders, subject to appropriations. LIS was not the recipient of that January 2026 order.
Facility plans and regulatory status
The public record shows regulatory engagement, not an authorization to build or operate an enrichment plant. An NRC record lists a pre-application meeting entry for LIS Technologies in March 2026. Tennessee’s economic-development agency announced in January 2026 that the company planned an investment exceeding $1 billion in an enrichment facility. That is an announced investment plan, not evidence that construction is complete or that the facility is licensed.
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The NRC says no laser-separation uranium-enrichment plant is currently operating in the United States. A company executive’s statement that the NRC licensing process is underway describes the company’s view of its plans; it is not an NRC finding that a license has been issued.
How LIS Technologies differs from GLE and SILEX
Laser enrichment is not a single company or process. The NRC identifies SILEX Systems Limited as the owner of the SILEX process and Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) as its U.S. commercialization vehicle, with exclusive rights to use SILEX for uranium enrichment. The NRC distinguishes DOE’s earlier atomic vapor laser isotope separation (AVLIS), which used uranium metal alloy feed, from SILEX, which uses UF6 gas feed. LIS Technologies’ materials use the name LIST, while the SBIR award describes CRISLA; the available information does not establish that these are the same technology as SILEX.
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GLE’s licensing effort is a separate project. The NRC says GLE applied in 2025 to construct and operate the Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility and that the agency accepted the application for formal review in August 2025. GLE’s application and SILEX process should not be attributed to LIS Technologies.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the distinction matters for U.S. energy security
Domestic enrichment capacity is a nuclear-fuel supply-chain issue: utilities need enriched uranium before fuel can be fabricated for reactors. A U.S. facility could contribute to domestic supply if it is built, licensed, and operated successfully. But a proposal-stage DOE selection, an announced investment, and pre-application regulatory engagement are different milestones from an operating plant. LIS Technologies’ progress is therefore relevant to the potential future supply picture, not proof that it has already reduced U.S. reliance on other sources.
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Key milestones at a glance
| Milestone or figure | What it establishes |
|---|---|
| Six companies selected; $2 million per vendor for proposal preparation — DOE, 2024 | DOE selected LIS Technologies among vendors invited to prepare proposals for the domestic LEU program. It did not award LIS a production order. |
| Up to $3.4 billion over ten years — DOE program page | The stated maximum funding scope of the broader program, not an amount awarded to LIS Technologies. |
| Task order finalized with Orano Federal Services — DOE, January 5, 2026 | Orano received the reported task order; the other five 2024 selections, including LIS, remained eligible to bid on future orders, pending appropriations. |
| Planned investment exceeding $1 billion — Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, January 2026 | An announced facility investment plan, not completed construction or a license. |
| Pre-application meeting entry — NRC public records, March 2026 | Evidence of regulatory engagement, not an issued construction or operating license. |
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