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The US Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho Operations Office has approved the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement (NSDA) for Oklo’s Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility (A3F), the advanced nuclear technology company announced today. The facility, to be located at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is a key participant in the DOE’s Advanced Nuclear Fuel Line Pilot Projects. This approval is a critical step for Oklo’s broader strategy at the INL site. The primary purpose of the A3F is to manufacture fuel for Oklo’s first commercial-scale powerhouse, the Aurora-INL. This reactor itself was previously selected for the DOE’s separate Reactor Pilot Program. By co-locating these two projects, Oklo is creating a vertically integrated system that couples advanced fuel production directly with clean power delivery. This synergy is designed to demonstrate and accelerate the near-term commercial deployment of advanced nuclear energy technologies in the United States. Modernized approach The DOE authorization process used for the A3F provides a modernized approach for building and operating nuclear fuel production lines specifically for research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) purposes. This streamlined process offers an accelerated route for advanced reactor developers like Oklo to prove their concepts before moving to full-scale commercial licensing. This recent approval for the fuel facility builds directly upon Oklo’s recent groundbreaking for the Aurora-INL reactor. That powerhouse project can also be built and begin operating under a similar DOE authorization pathway. Oklo anticipates that successfully operating under this RD&D framework will provide crucial data and operational experience, potentially fast-tracking future commercial licensing applications with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). First-of-its-kind agreement The NSDA approval, which Oklo noted was granted in just under two weeks, is the first such agreement to be finalized under the DOE’s new Fuel Line Pilot Projects. The rapid turnaround helps demonstrate a new, modernized authorization pathway. This pathway is significant as it has the potential to unlock US industrial capacity for advanced nuclear fuels, a key component in strengthening national energy security. It also aims to create an accelerated and reproducible framework for scaling production capacity, aligning with the goals of the executive order on ‘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.” Long-term planning Oklo’s work at INL is the result of long-term planning. The company first secured access to the necessary fuel material through a competitive DOE process launched in 2019. DOE officials affirmed the importance of this milestone for the new pilot program. “Approval of the NSDA for Oklo’s Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility is an important step forward,” concluded 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.”
