The Department of Energy has approved Oklo’s nuclear safety design agreement, or NSDA, for its Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility, or A3F, at Idaho National Laboratory.
Oklo said Tuesday the facility, which was selected to participate in DOE’s Advanced Nuclear Fuel Line Pilot Projects, received approval in just under two weeks, marking the first NSDA under the program.
Why Is the NSDA Approval Significant for Oklo’s A3F?
According to Oklo, the approval from DOE’s Idaho Operations Office demonstrates a new authorization pathway that could expand U.S. industrial capacity, strengthen national energy security and accelerate production scale-up for advanced nuclear fuel.
“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. “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.”
The department’s authorization process also provides an expedited route for developers to build and operate nuclear fuel production lines for research, development and demonstration.
“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.”
A3F will fabricate fuel for Oklo’s Aurora-INL reactor, part of DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program.
What Does Oklo Do?
Oklo develops fast fission power plants, works on a domestic supply chain for radioisotopes and advances nuclear fuel recycling to convert nuclear waste into energy.
The advanced nuclear technology company received a site use permit from DOE for a commercial advanced fission plant, was granted fuel from INL and submitted a combined license application for an advanced reactor to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Oklo is also collaborating with DOE and U.S. national labs on advanced fuel recycling technologies.
