The Conversation (0)
Oklo Inc. (NYSE: Oklo) ("Oklo"), an advanced nuclear technology company, today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho Operations Office has approved the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement (NSDA) for the Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility (A3F) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), selected to participate in the DOE's Advanced Nuclear Fuel Line Pilot Projects.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251111252508/en/
Recovered metallic fuel alloy—made by recycled metal fuel—is prepared to fabricate into assemblies for Aurora-INL. (Image: Idaho National Laboratory)
The NSDA, the first under the DOE's Fuel Line Pilot Projects, was approved in just under two weeks and helps demonstrate a new authorization pathway that has the potential to unlock U.S. industrial capacity, advance national energy security and create an accelerated and reproducible framework for scaling production capacity under the executive order ‘Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security'.
"This approval marks clear progress toward demonstrating how we can repurpose used nuclear fuel to power the next generation of clean energy reactors," said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo Inc. "Advanced fuel fabrication and recycling technologies represent a significant unlock for our business, addressing fuel-supply challenges while transforming fuel economics and creating new revenue opportunities."
Located at INL, the A3F will fabricate fuel for Oklo's first commercial-scale powerhouse, the Aurora-INL, which was selected for the DOE's Reactor Pilot Program. Together, these facilities couple fuel production to power delivery for near-term commercial deployment of advanced nuclear energy.
The DOE authorization process provides a modernized approach to building and operating nuclear fuel production lines for research, development, and demonstration purposes, while also offering an accelerated route for advanced reactor developers.
The A3F approval builds on Oklo's recent groundbreaking for the Aurora-INL reactor which can be built and begin operating under a DOE authorization pathway, potentially fast-tracking future commercial licensing by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Oklo was granted access to fuel material through a competitive DOE process launched in 2019. In 2019, the company received both a site-use permit at INL and access to fuel recovered from the historic Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II).
"Approval of the NSDA for Oklo's Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility is an important step forward," said Robert Boston, Manager of the DOE Idaho Operations Office. "We're excited for companies selected for the Fuel Line Pilot Program to demonstrate how the United States can safely and efficiently scale the next generation of nuclear fuel manufacturing."
About Oklo Inc.: Oklo Inc. is developing fast fission power plants to deliver clean, reliable, affordable energy at scale, establishing a domestic supply chain for critical radioisotopes, and advancing nuclear fuel recycling to convert nuclear waste into clean energy. Oklo was the first to receive a site use permit from the U.S. Department of Energy for a commercial advanced fission plant, was awarded fuel from Idaho National Laboratory, and submitted the first custom combined license application for an advanced reactor to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Oklo is also developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Laboratories.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes statements that express Oklo's opinions, expectations, objectives, beliefs, plans, intentions, strategies, assumptions, forecasts or projections regarding future events or future results and therefore are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements." The words "may," "will," "could," "should," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "continue," "might," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "goal," "would," "commit," or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology, and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts. They appear in a number of places throughout this press release and include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies and the markets in which Oklo operates. Such forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release, and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties.
As a result of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, the actual results or performance of Oklo may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The following important risk factors could affect Oklo's future results and cause those results or other outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements: risks related to the development and deployment of Oklo's powerhouses; the risk that Oklo is pursuing an emerging market with no commercial project operating and regulatory uncertainties; risks related to acquisitions, divestitures, or joint ventures we may engage in; the need for financing to construct plants, which remain subject to market, financial, political, and legal conditions; risks related to an inability to raise additional capital to support our business and sustain our growth on favorable terms; the effects of competition; risks related to accessing high-assay low-enriched uranium, plutonium, and other fuels at acceptable costs (including recycled fuels); risks related to our supply chain; risks related to power purchase agreements; risks related to human capital; risks related to our intellectual property; risks related to cybersecurity and data privacy; changes in applicable laws or regulations, including tariffs; the outcome of any government and regulatory proceedings and investigations and inquiries; and the other factors set forth in our documents we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties of the other documents filed by Oklo from time to time with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on Oklo. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting Oklo will be those that Oklo has anticipated. Oklo undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this presentation, except as may be required by law.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251111252508/en/
Media and Investor Contact for Oklo:
Bonita Chester, Head of Communications and Media at media@oklo.com
Investor Contact:
Sam Doane, Director of Investor Relations at investors@oklo.com
