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Oklo breaks ground for first Aurora powerhouse

Monday, 22 September 2025

The nuclear technology company is holding a groundbreaking ceremony at Idaho National Laboratory for the Aurora-INL sodium-cooled fast reactor.



Oklo's Aurora powerhouse is a fast neutron reactor that uses heat pipes to transport heat from the reactor core to a supercritical carbon dioxide power conversion system to generate electricity. Building on the design and operating heritage of the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), which ran in Idaho from 1964 to 1994, it uses metallic fuel to produce electricity and usable heat, and can operate on fuel made from fresh HALEU or used nuclear fuel.

US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said he was "honoured" to attend the groundbreaking. "Oklo Inc's Aurora powerhouse will deliver clean, affordable, and reliable American energy to power a new generation of intelligence manufacturing across the country," he said. "As advancements in artificial intelligence drive up electricity demands, projects like this are critical to ensuring the United States can meet that need and remain at the forefront of the global AI arms race."

The company said the Aurora-INL is one of the three Oklo projects - including one from its subsidiary Atomic Alchemy - in the initial selections under the Reactor Pilot Program which were announced by the US Department of Energy (DOE) in August. This programme, instigated in response to executive orders signed by President Donald Trump earlier in the year, aims to accelerate advanced nuclear deployment and to modernise nuclear licensing, with the goal of demonstrating criticality in at least three test reactors by 4 July 2026.

"This opportunity positions us to build our first plant more quickly," Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte said. "We have been working with the Department of Energy and the Idaho National Laboratory since 2019 to bring this plant into existence, and this marks a new chapter of building. We are excited for this, and for many more to come."

Oklo was awarded fuel recovered from EBR-II by the Department of Energy in 2019 and has completed two of four steps for DOE authorisation to fabricate its initial core for the metal fuelled reactor at the Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility (A3F) at INL.

In August, the company announced that Kiewit Nuclear Solutions Co will serve as lead constructor supporting the design, procurement, and construction of the powerhouse.

According to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the regulator is currently engaged in pre-application activities for the Oklo Aurora Powerhouse reactor, which it describes as a liquid metal-cooled, metal-fuelled fast reactor with a maximum power level of 75 MWe. Oklo previously submitted an application to the NRC in March 2020 to build and operate an Aurora compact fast reactor at the INL site, in what was the first combined licence application ever accepted by the US regulator for an advanced plant, although in January 2022 the regulator said it had insufficient data for the process to move forward. The company resumed pre-licensing activities with the NRC later that year.

Oklo was given the go-ahead to begin site characterisation work at INL in November 2024, and has previously said it intends to submit a combined license application later this year.

Participants in today's groundbreaking event included INL Director John Wagner, US Environmental Protections Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, and officials including Idaho Governor Bradley Little, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Senators Mike Crapo and James Risch, Congressman Mike Simpson, Idaho Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke, and Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper as well as representatives from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the DOE.

"INL has always been where nuclear innovation becomes reality," said John Wagner, the director of the laboratory. "Today's groundbreaking with Oklo continues that legacy, bringing advanced reactor technology from the laboratory to commercial deployment right here in Idaho."

According to Oklo, the project is expected to create around 370 jobs during construction, in addition to 70-80 long-term, highly skilled roles to operate the powerhouse and A3F.

Oklo named to supply microreactor for Alaska airbase

Friday, 13 June 2025

The US Defense Logistics Agency Energy Office has issued Oklo Inc a new Notice of Intent to Award for the development and operation of a licensed microreactor facility at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, clearing the way for contract negotiations to begin.

The US Air Force confirmed in 2021 that Eielson - which currently relies on coal to power its operations - would be the preferred site for its first microreactor, and in September 2022 issued a request for proposals for a "nuclear microreactor energy production facility" able to produce electricity and steam and to meet a baseload electricity demand of 5 MWe. The US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) issued a similar notice to Oklo in August 2023, but rescinded it less than a month later to allow for "further consideration". This new Notice of Intent to Award again designates Oklo as the apparent successful offeror following a comprehensive evaluation process, the company said.

Oklo would design, construct, own, and operate the power plant, delivering both electricity to the Eielson base under a long-term power purchase agreement. The notice issued by the DLA on behalf of the Department of the Air Force and the US Department of Defense, initiates the negotiation process to potentially award a 30-year, firm-fixed-price contract to Oklo after obtaining a licence from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
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Oklo cleared to begin site characterisation for first-of-a-kind plant

Friday, 8 November 2024

The completion of the environmental compliance process means Oklo Inc can now begin site characterisation for its first commercial advanced fission power plant in Idaho.
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Oklo Completes Successful End-to-End Demonstration of Advanced Fuel Recycling Process

07/17/2024 SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Oklo Inc., a fast fission clean power technology and nuclear fuel recycling company, announced the successful completion of the first end-to-end demonstration of the key stages of its advanced fuel recycling process, in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory. This achievement marks a significant step forward in Oklo’s efforts to scale up its fuel recycling capabilities and deploy a commercial-scale recycling facility to increase advanced reactor fuel supplies, and enhance fuel cost effectiveness.

Supported by a $5 million cost-share award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) under the Optimizing Nuclear Waste and Advanced Reactor Disposal Systems Program (the “ONWARDS Program”), this project aims to facilitate the deployment of a commercial-scale advanced fuel recycling facility. “We know that recycling is an important path to reduce high-level waste, and advance nuclear energy with safe and sustainable domestic fuel stocks,” said ARPA-E Director Evelyn N. Wang. “Through ARPA-E’s ONWARDS Program, Oklo is working to achieve these goals. This milestone marks an important step forward in the team’s progress as they work towards economically viable nuclear fuel recycling.” Oklo’s fuel recycling technology is engineered to extract over 90% of the remaining potential energy from used fuel, which is expected to be utilized in Oklo powerhouses to generate clean energy. It incorporates unique proliferation-resistant features, including maintaining the consolidation of transuranic materials.

The introduction of commercial fuel recycling operations is also expected to save up to 80% on Oklo’s fuel costs, driving long-term value through enhanced fuel efficiency, alternative fuel source creation, and reduction in high-level waste requiring permanent disposal. “We recognize the inherent opportunity to enhance our mission through fuel recycling, converting used fuel into clean energy,” said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo. “Oklo’s use of fast fission technology positions us well to realize these fuel recycling benefits. The success of this project brings us closer to bringing a commercial-scale domestic fuel recycling facility online, crucial for strengthening our business model and advancing economic viability.”

About Oklo Inc.: Oklo Inc. is developing fast fission power plants to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy at scale. Oklo received a site use permit from the U.S. Department of Energy, was awarded fuel material from Idaho National Laboratory, submitted the first advanced fission custom combined license application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and is developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Laboratories.

Oklo's fuel recycling technology is engineered to extract more than 90% of the remaining potential energy from used fuel, which is expected to be utilised in Oklo powerhouses to generate clean energy. It incorporates unique proliferation-resistant features, including maintaining the consolidation of transuranic materials.

Oklo selects Siemens Energy to supply conventional island

14 August 2024

California-based liquid metal fast reactor developer Oklo Inc has signed a preferred supplier agreement with steam turbine and generator technology supplier Siemens Energy for the power conversion system of its Aurora 'powerhouse'.

Under the agreement, Siemens Energy will supply the power conversion and supporting systems, fostering efficiencies through economies of scale. Oklo said that standardising equipment across its powerhouses is expected to result in cost savings in manufacturing, construction, operations, and maintenance. Utilising shared spare parts across deployment is expected to reduce maintenance downtime, enhance reliability, and improve overall performance, it added.

The signing of the agreement follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two companies in December last year that designated Siemens Energy to potentially become Oklo's preferred supplier for rotating equipment of the power conversion system (conventional island) for the Aurora powerhouse. Under that MoU, Siemens Energy would also be positioned to provide consulting to support Oklo in design work on the conventional island.

Oklo said the signing of the preferred supplier agreement was "a key strategic development in its supply chain management". It added: "This agreement underscores Oklo's ambitions to bring cost-efficient advanced fission technology to market. Building on a previously signed Memorandum of Understanding, this binding agreement marks a crucial step in Oklo's vision to enhance production scalability, cost efficiency, and rapid deployment to meet growing customer demand."

Oklo, founded in 2013, plans to commercialise its liquid metal fast reactor technology in the Aurora powerhouse, a fast neutron reactor using heat pipes to transport heat from the reactor core to a supercritical carbon dioxide power conversion system to generate electricity.

The reactor uses liquid metal as a coolant. Liquid metal's high boiling point allows the reactor to operate at high temperatures without being pressurised. This design enables the use of commonly available alloys, benefiting from existing large-scale supply chains already producing nearly identical parts.

"We prioritise cost in our engineering process to fully leverage the advantages of fast fission technology," said Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte. "Our technology is based on proven designs, allowing us to utilise small, pre-fabricated, and non-pressurised components made from readily available materials and existing supply chains, further reducing costs and complexity."

Oklo has received a site use permit from the US Department of Energy for a prototype unit to be built at the Idaho National Laboratory.

LeLama a écrit : ↑

12 juil. 2023, 11:28

Ce qui est interessant a noter, c'est que la source est l'AFP, pas un site de troisieme zone.

La start-up du patron d'OpenAI dédiée au nucléaire va entrer en Bourse

AFPparue le 12 juill. 2023

La start-up présidée par le patron d'OpenAI (ChatGPT), qui travaille à la mise au point de petits réacteurs à fission nucléaire, va entrer en Bourse, avec une valorisation de 850 millions de dollars.

Impliqué dans plusieurs secteurs de pointe, Sam Altman a investi dans Oklo, le nom de cette jeune société, en 2015, et en est également devenu le président.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aurora nuclear reactor

The Aurora powerhouse is an advanced fission plant concept design that received a site use permit for testing in 2020 from the United States Department of Energy (DOE). The site use permit, issued in December 2019 is not a Nuclear Regulatory Commission permit. It is the "first and only permit ever issued in the U.S. to a nuclear plant using something other than a light water ("water-cooled") reactor".[1] It will use "recycled" high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel originally fabricated for the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II),[2][3][4] and if fully operational, would become "the first fuel-recycling commercial reactor in the United States".[5] The DOE's Idaho National Laboratory (INL) said it would provide 10 tons of HALEU for the test reactor which corresponds to most of the available supply.[6] Reprocessing would occur at INL's Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) and possibly also the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC), neither of which are operational facilities as of early 2020.[7]

The reactor design is a fast-neutron reactor with heat pipe cooling similar to the NASA Kilopower reactor.[3] According to the designers, the reactor will have a "large negative temperature reactivity coefficient", lacks pumps and valves, uses heat pipes for heat removal, has no nuclear refueling intervals and associated core exposure, and its core is buried underground.[8] In presenting its safety design to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Oklo quoted a study of the EBR-II, which is a different reactor technology, as being "inherently protected without requiring emergency power, safety systems, or operator intervention".[8]

The Aurora is being developed by Oklo Inc.[3] Oklo Inc was founded in 2014, with investors including Hydrazine Capital (founded by Sam Altman, with Peter Thiel as its sole limited partner); Facebook's co-founder, Dustin Moskovitz; Ron Conway of SV Angels; Kevin Efrusy, a technology investor at Accel Partners; Daniel Aegerter, a Swiss investor and entrepreneur, Tim Draper of Draper Associates, Crunchfund, and several smaller investors including early employees of Google and Yahoo.[9][better source needed]

On January 6, 2022, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission denied Oklo's combined license application due to lack of information regarding several key topics for the Aurora reactor.[10]

La start-up du patron d'OpenAI dédiée à la fusion nucléaire va entrer en Bourse

AFP le 12 juill. 2023

La start-up présidée par le patron d'OpenAI (ChatGPT), qui travaille à la mise au point de réacteurs à fusion nucléaire, va entrer en Bourse, avec une valorisation de 850 millions de dollars.

Impliqué dans plusieurs secteurs de pointe, Sam Altman a investi dans Oklo, le nom de cette jeune société, en 2015, et en est également devenu le président.

Le trentenaire s'est fait connaître avec le lancement, en novembre, de ChatGPT, interface d'intelligence artificielle dite générative, qui propose des réponses détaillées à des questions formulées en langage courant.

Oklo prévoit de construire des petits réacteurs nucléaires, aussi appelés SMR (small modular reactors), capables de produire de l'électricité grâce à la fusion nucléaire, un procédé différent de la fission, actuellement utilisée dans les centrales classiques.

Basée sur la fusion d'atomes d'hydrogène pour donner de l'hélium, cette technologie censée produire plus d'énergie, à quantité égale, que n'importe quelle source maîtrisable, est encore en cours de développement.

Oklo veut aussi proposer un service de recyclage du combustible nucléaire.

La jeune société ne dispose encore d'aucun site propre et s'est vu refuser, en janvier 2022, un permis de construction d'un SMR en Idaho par l'Agence de régulation du nucléaire (NRC).

La NRC a retoqué cette candidature notamment du fait d'un manque d'informations sur les risques d'accidents et les réponses prévues en pareil cas.

Concrètement, Oklo va fusionner avec AltC Acquisition, un véhicule déjà coté au New York Stock Exchange et dont la seule vocation est de permettre à une société d'entrer en Bourse plus facilement (aussi appelé SPAC), avec des contraintes réglementaires allegées.

La start-up prévoit de lever 500 millions de dollars lors de cette opération, somme qui sera consacrée à la réalisation du premier réacteur à fusion d'Oklo, baptisé Aurora, selon un communiqué publié mardi.

Le groupe de Santa Clara (Californie) vise une mise en service en 2026 ou 2027.

"Les deux ingrédients les plus importants d'un avenir prometteur sont l'abondance d'intelligence et d'énergie", a commenté Sam Altman, cité dans le communiqué.

"Je m'intéresse depuis longtemps au potentiel que présente le nucléaire pour créer de l'énergie propre, fiable et abordable à grande échelle", a-t-il ajouté.