Atomic Alchemy, which Oklo has proposed to acquire through an all-stock transaction, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Zeno Power Systems, a developer of commercial Radioisotope Power Systems (RPSs). Zeno Power’s power systems convert heat from radioisotopes into a reliable supply of energy for commercial and government customers in critical environments across space and terrestrial markets.
The MOU represents an important milestone in furthering Atomic Alchemy’s efforts to supply radioisotopes for non-medical applications and plans to expand its presence in key markets such as defence and energy. Through the collaboration, Atomic Alchemy expects to supply Zeno Power with strontium-90 (Sr-90), americium-241 (Am-241), and other radioisotopes needed to power RPSs such as Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators, or “nuclear batteries.” These radioisotopes can be produced as coproducts from Oklo’s recycling processes.
Zeno Power’s novel design enables broad commercial use of RPSs in space and terrestrially. In late 2023, Zeno Power demonstrated its first Sr-90 heat source at the US Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. To date, Zeno Power has secured over $65m in contracts with National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), the US Navy, and the US Space Force, enabling reliable clean power solutions for missions ranging from seabed exploration to lunar operations.
“This collaboration highlights the powerful synergies between Oklo, Atomic Alchemy, and Zeno Power in advancing nuclear technologies for the world’s most demanding missions,” said Thomas Eiden, Founder and CEO of Atomic Alchemy. “We are proud to support Zeno Power’s efforts by ensuring a dependable supply of critical radioisotopes.”
Harsh S Desai, Chief Commercialisation Officer at Zeno Power welcomed the opportunity to work with Atomic Alchemy and Oklo to advance fuel supply chain efforts and to “recover radioisotopes that otherwise would be waste”. He added: “This partnership aims to expand access to critical isotopes, accelerating our work to meet the growing demand for reliable, persistent energy solutions from the ocean floor to the lunar surface.”
Oklo, which is developing fast fission power plants, has received a site use permit from the US Department of Energy (DOE), was awarded fuel material from Idaho National Laboratory. It submitted the first advanced fission custom combined licence application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and is developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with DOE and US National Laboratories.
Using a vertically integrated model and fuel recycling, in partnership with Oklo, Atomic Alchemy is seeking to transform isotope production to address global shortages, support critical applications, and strengthen national security. With its proprietary Versatile Isotope Production Reactor (VIPR) technology, Atomic Alchemy is building the first scalable production facility to provide a sustainable source of high-value radioisotopes.
About Zeno Power Systems, founded in 2018, has offices in Washington, DC and Seattle. Zeno is currently executing on contracts with NASA and the US Department of Defense, and is on track to deliver its initial RPSs to customers by 2026. Zeno Power is backed by a world-class portfolio of investors including Tribe Capital, 1517 Fund, AIN Ventures, Balerion Space Ventures, and DCVC.
