WARREN, Ohio – Graphite One Inc. announced this morning that it has abandoned plans to develop a $1.4 billion plant in Trumbull County and has instead selected a site in Conneaut for the project. 

Initially, the project was announced for a site in Weathersfield Township, but the lease on that property is now terminated, the company said. Graphite One, based in Vancouver, Canada, cited “challenges associated with establishing the necessary power infrastructure” that would meet its construction timeline as a reason for ending the lease agreement.

According to a press release issued by the company, Graphite One has secured a license of occupation agreement with Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad Co., a subsidiary of Canadian National Railway. The site provides several advantages, including:

  • Direct access to Lake Erie and the Great Lakes shipping corridor
  • Multi-line rail connectivity through CN
  • Existing power infrastructure, including an on-site substation
  • Capacity for future expansion and scaling

“This site provides the infrastructure, logistics access, and scalability required to support long-term growth,” said Mike Schaffner, COO. “It positions the company to efficiently move material and expand production capacity as market demand develops.”

The agreement allows the company to complete due diligence activities on the site and – subject to Graphite One’s satisfactory review – proceed with formalizing a lease agreement.

“Given this new opportunity and the challenges associated with establishing the necessary power infrastructure at Warren, Ohio site within the company’s proposed construction timeline, the company has decided to terminate the current lease on the Warren property to focus its efforts on the Conneaut location,” the company said in a statement.

In March 2024, Graphite One announced plans to invest $435 million to develop a synthetic and natural graphite production facility on land in Weathersfield Township near the site where Kimberly-Clark is building an $800 million manufacturing plant. The land was once used as a minerals and munitions depot for the U.S. Department of Defense. 

In December, the company announced financing for the Ohio project from the Export-Import Bank of the United States increased from $325 million to $1.4 billion. A feasibility study released that same year suggested that the project be developed in seven phases with an estimated capital outlay of $3.9 billion. 

The plant would produce graphite anode materials for electric vehicle batteries and other energy storage devices. According to earlier reports, the project would bring 160 jobs.

Graphite One is advancing development plans for an Ohio finishing and blending facility, which is one of the three processing facilities that together comprise the AAM facility with the targeted milestone. 

Completion of Phase One in Conneaut is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2027 with production capacity of 10,000 tons per year, the company said. This will include 4,000 tons of energy storage material, 3,000 tons of fast-charging material, and 3,000 tons of high-energy-density material. These materials are intended for use in lithium-ion battery applications supporting electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage, and emerging data center infrastructure demand.

“We now have a defined path from site control through development to production and customer engagement,” said Anthony Huston, CEO. “Our objective is to establish a vertically integrated, U.S.-based supply chain capable of supporting long-term North American battery demand.”

Simultaneously, the company is evaluating a second-phase expansion that would target completion in the third quarter of 2028. 

The expansion would further position Graphite One as a potential domestic supplier of active anode materials at a time when North American supply chains continue to seek localized sources of critical battery inputs.

“We are encouraged by the level of engagement taking place with prospective customers,” Huston said. “The ongoing evaluation process and commercial discussions represent important steps toward establishing long-term customer relationships.”

Graphite One’s development strategy links its Graphite Creek resource in Alaska — identified by the U.S. Geological Survey as the largest graphite deposit in the United States and among the largest globally — with downstream processing capabilities in Ohio.

“As governments and industry continue prioritizing domestic supply chain development, we believe Graphite One is well positioned to participate in this structural market shift,” Huston said.

Construction and development activities for the Ohio facility remain subject to financing, permitting, power agreements, equipment procurement, regulatory approvals, and other customary development conditions.

Pictured at top: The formerly proposed site for the Graphite One project in Weathersfield Township.