SLX silex systems limited

Global Laser Enrichment (GLE), holder of exclusive commercial...

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    Global Laser Enrichment (GLE), holder of exclusive commercial rights to the SILEX uranium enrichment process, has commenced Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL-6) demonstration testing at its Test Loop facility in Wilmington, North Carolina. This marks an important milestone in the operational maturation of third-generation enrichment capabilities and represents a strategic inflection point for US-based nuclear fuel resilience.The TRL-6 phase constitutes a high-fidelity operational trial under conditions representative of scaled commercial deployment. Laser uranium enrichmentAccording to GLE Chief Executive Officer Stephen Long, this milestone follows extensive system integration, engineering refinement, and iterative operational testing. “This demonstration campaign is the culmination of years of technical advancement and operational discipline. We are now entering a phase of focused optimization, with iterative system tuning and data accumulation to fulfill the validation requirements of TRL-6,” said Long.Key modifications have been integrated into the Test Loop to increase performance reliability. These enhancements validate scale enrichment efficiency and inform downstream manufacturing processes for Kentucky’s full-scale Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF). Independent engineering assessment—contracted by GLE’s joint venture stakeholders, Silex Systems Ltd, and Cameco Corporation, which will monitor and verify all test outcomes.GLE President and Chief Commercial Officer James Dobchuk highlighted the strategic significance of GLE’s position. “Our exclusive access to the Department of Energy’s high-assay depleted uranium tails underpins a domestic, single-site supply chain solution for uranium conversion and enrichment. This uniquely American infrastructure, resilient to geopolitical and logistical disruptions, advances U.S. energy security and provides strategic optionality to allied nations,” Dobchuk said.Over $550 million has been invested in engineering, system design, facility development, and regulatory licensing efforts, with operations concentrated in North Carolina and Kentucky. The Wilmington Test Loop, with more than 13,000 cumulative operational hours, remains the only non-governmental uranium enrichment facility globally operating a next-generation enrichment platform.Limitless nuclear powerGLE anticipates producing hundreds of kilograms of enriched uranium during the TRL-6 testing period.The output and system behavior will directly inform deployment pathways for the PLEF. It will support pre-licensing submissions to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including the formal safety case expected this summer.Laser enrichment, as implemented through the SILEX process, offers substantial gains in enrichment efficiency by leveraging highly selective laser excitation of uranium hexafluoride isotopes. The process enables the isolation of U-235 isotopes with greater energy efficiency and process control than traditional methods such as gaseous diffusion and centrifuge technology. Given the increasing diversification of reactor fuel needs, especially with the emergence of small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced reactor platforms, the demand for flexible, high-assay enrichment capabilities is projected to expand.Natural uranium consists predominantly of U-238 (99.3%) and a minor fraction of U-235 (0.7%). The latter is fissile and forms the basis for nuclear power generation. Enrichment raises the concentration of U-235, typically to around 5% or higher, to meet reactor requirements. Historically, enrichment technologies have been inefficient and costly, making up about 30% of nuclear fuel costs and 5% of the total costs of generating nuclear electricity.GLE is leading the way in third-generation enrichment with its SILEX platform.This system provides a flexible, domestically based solution that benefits national security, prevents the spread of nuclear weapons, and promotes clean energy.With experience in operations, existing regulations, and advanced technology, GLE is ready to change the economics and security of the nuclear fuel cycle.

    Endless nuclear power: US tests world’s most powerful laser to enrich uranium

    Story by Kapil Kajal
    20m
 
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