When the first graphite rolls off the production line in Conneaut, Ohio, in late 2027, it will mark the start of something long overdue: a fully domestic American supply chain for EV battery anodes. Graphite One, a Vancouver-based company with its sights set on reshaping the U.S. battery industry, is turning that vision into reality by linking a massive Alaskan graphite deposit to a new processing facility on the shores of Lake Erie. This isn’t just about mining and manufacturing—it’s about redefining energy independence in an era where batteries power the future.
For years, the U.S. has relied heavily on China for processed graphite, the essential material in lithium-ion battery anodes. More than 95% of anodes still use graphite, despite advances in alternatives like silicon or lithium metal. Graphite One’s project strikes at the heart of that dependency, tapping into what the U.S. Geological Survey calls the largest known graphite deposit in the nation—Graphite Creek, located north of Nome, Alaska. Now, that raw material will travel nearly 3,000 miles to be refined and manufactured into anode active materials in Conneaut, a small city with big ambitions.
The Ohio site, secured in May 2024, was chosen for its rail access through Canadian National Railway’s Bessemer and Lake Erie line, existing power infrastructure, and direct access to Great Lakes shipping routes. But the real story is in the scale and speed of the rollout. Phase I of the facility is set to finish construction in Q4 2027, with an initial capacity of 10,000 metric tons per year. Just a year later, by Q3 2028, Phase II will bring total capacity to 25,000 metric tons annually—enough to supply hundreds of thousands of EVs each year. The move also marks a shift from Warren, Ohio, where the company had previously considered building.
Even before breaking ground, Graphite One has made significant industry inroads. In May, it confirmed it has already delivered anode material samples to three major EV manufacturers and three leading battery makers, with off-take discussions underway. And on June 18, the company announced it had hired a top-tier global engineering firm—currently unnamed but described as a leader in production line integration—to design and deploy the manufacturing systems.
This project is more than a corporate milestone; it’s a signal that the U.S. is serious about building its clean energy future at home. As EV adoption rebounds and demand for secure, ethical supply chains grows, Graphite One’s dual Alaska-Ohio operation could become a blueprint for how critical minerals move from ground to grid—without crossing hostile geopolitical borders. The electric revolution isn’t just coming. It’s being built, grain by grain, on American soil.