Potential Conneaut Graphite One plant in technical review

Graphite One announced last week its plans for a Conneaut processing facility has advanced into technical processing review.

According to a release from the company, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency determined the company's air permit application is complete.

Graphite One COO Mike Schaffner said in the release the company's engineering and permitting teams did great quality work.

"We appreciate Ohio EPA's review and remain focused on advancing the project efficiently toward construction," he said.

The company announced its intent to build an active anode materials plant in Conneaut in May, cancelling previous plans for one in Trumbull County.

The company secured a site in the city through the Bessemer and Lake Erie Rail Company, a subsidiary of Canadian National.

According to Graphite One's website, AAMs are in battery anodes, and store and release lithium ions during charge and discharge, and are critical for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage and other applications, according to the release.

The initial phase will produce 10,000 tonnes per year, expanding to 25,000 annual tonnes later.

Graphite One's strategy is to move move production independent of a company project near Nome, Alaska and an easier path to revenue than similar projects, according to the release.

"Every permitting, engineering, financing, and customer engagement milestone reduces execution risk and moves us closer to commercial production," Graphite One CEO Anthony Huston said in the release. "Together, these parallel workstreams strengthens Graphite One's position as a strategic domestic supplier of advanced graphite materials supporting America's battery and energy storage industries.

"We remain focused on achieving additional project milestones throughout 2026 while creating long-term value for our shareholders, customers, and strategic partners."

The company's focus is to establish a vertically-integrated United States graphite supply chain, according to the release.

Production is expected to commence at the Conneaut facility in the fourth quarter of 2027. Natural graphite production in Alaska is targeted for 2029, according to the release.