Work on the Aurora microreactor will begin in the USA
The American startup Oklo is approaching the official start of construction for its first commercial nuclear microreactor. Jacob DeWitte, CEO of Oklo, confirmed in an interview with CNBC that his company has received approval from the Department of Energy to conduct field research for the planned reactor in Idaho Falls. Work on infrastructure planning, environmental assessments, and geotechnical analyses is set to begin in 2026, with the reactor expected to be operational a year later.
Oklo’s Aurora microreactors, supported by Sam Altman of OpenAI, are expected to compete with larger nuclear power plants due to their simple design and fewer project and location constraints. Oklo anticipates that their power plants will occupy a maximum area of about 8,000 square meters. These reactors do not require water for cooling, which allows them to be installed in locations where traditional plants could not be built. The company is also working on recycling spent nuclear fuel to maximize energy generation potential.
Embargo on Russian Uranium
However, the company faces challenges. In May, the United States banned the import of uranium from Russia, which accounted for about 35% of nuclear fuel imports in the U.S. Oklo is currently collaborating with Centrus Energy, an American nuclear fuel supplier. Centrus began uranium enrichment operations in Piketon, Ohio, in October of last year. However, DeWitte pointed out that the domestic supply chain is still not operating efficiently enough. Despite this, Oklo assures that it has secured the fuel needed to launch the plant in Idaho.
Big Tech Demands More Energy
Oklo’s microreactors are primarily intended to power data centers, which are being built in modules with an energy demand of less than 50 MW—matching the output of Aurora facilities. This is just one of several similar investments recently announced, highlighting the growing energy needs of large IT companies. Moreover, Oklo’s stock price rose nearly 26% after Constellation Energy announced plans to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear plant to power Microsoft data centers.
DeWitte emphasized that Oklo’s ambitions do not end with the launch of the plant in Idaho. The company is declaring a demand of 1,350 MW, confirmed in letters of intent from potential clients, marking a 93% increase from the 700 MW projected in July 2023.
Source: cnbc.com