The U.S. Department of Energy approved the conceptual design for Oklo Inc.’s Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility, to be built at Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho. DOE’s Idaho Operations Office, which holds nuclear safety and regulatory authority for the project, reviewed the Conceptual Safety Design Report that Oklo submitted earlier in 2024. The facility will process used material recovered from DOE’s former EBR-II reactor into HALEU fuel for Oklo’s Aurora powerhouse, a liquid-metal-cooled fast reactor designed to run on both fresh HALEU and used nuclear fuel.
What it means
Approval of the conceptual design clears the way for Oklo to advance toward detailed design and, ultimately, construction of the fabrication facility at INL. The newly fabricated fuel is intended to power the initial Aurora powerhouse reactor core at INL. DOE will retain ownership of the HALEU both during and after its use in the facility. Oklo will continue working with INL to complete the facility design and obtain DOE approval before construction begins.
In September 2024, Oklo finalized agreements with DOE to begin site characterization of its preferred location for the Aurora powerhouse reactor, a step that supports Oklo’s combined license application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Oklo anticipates its first commercial Aurora powerhouse will be deployed in 2027. “We are proud of our collaboration with INL and DOE as we move closer to turning on our first commercial plant that uses this recovered nuclear fuel in just a few years,” said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo.
Key facts
- Facility location: Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho
- Fuel source: HALEU recovered from DOE’s former EBR-II reactor
- HALEU access granted to Oklo: 5 metric tons, under a cooperative agreement with INL
- Cooperative agreement with INL competitively awarded: 2019
- DOE retains ownership of HALEU during and after use
- Anticipated deployment of first commercial Aurora powerhouse: 2027
- Oklo has received prior DOE support through GAIN vouchers and ARPA-E funding for recycling technology demonstration
- Regulatory body for site characterization and licensing: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Source: U.S. Department of Energy news release (energy.gov)