US-based Oklo has finalised a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the US Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho Operations Office granting access to conduct site investigations at its preferred site in Idaho for its planned Aurora reactor. This marks a key step toward the next phase of site preparation and construction.
Oklo is developing the Aurora microreactor, a liquid-metal-cooled fast reactor, which uses heat pipes to transport heat from the reactor core to a supercritical carbon dioxide power conversion system to generate electricity. It will use HALEU fuel. Oklo says the reactor builds on the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) and space reactor legacy. EBR-II features a hexagonal fuel element with a sealed heat pipe and a passive air-cooling system. Oklo initially marketed a 1.5 MWe microreactor version of the Aurora, but has now expanded its capacity offerings from 15 MWe to 100 MWe.
Oklo received a site permit in 2019 from the DOE to build its first Aurora facility at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). In 2020, Oklo submitted a combined licence application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to build and operate the Aurora microreactor at INL. However, NRC denied the application, citing the company’s failure to provide sufficient design information. A revised application was submitted in September 2022. The company is developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with DOE and US National Laboratories.
The site investigations enabled by this MOA will focus on geotechnical assessments, environmental surveys, and infrastructure planning. “Our partnership with the DOE has been instrumental. Beginning with the site use permit and fuel award in 2019,” said Jacob DeWitte, Co-Founder and CEO of Oklo. “Signing this MOA reflects our commitment to timely deployment and operational readiness while also helping to manage costs and maintain our project schedule.”
Oklo said, as the only advanced fission company with a DOE site use permit, along with substantial regulatory progress and a secured fuel supply, Oklo is uniquely positioned to deploy the first commercial advanced fission power plant in the US. By addressing critical site preparation tasks early, Oklo is working towards a streamlined transition to construction and aims to keep the project on track for timely completion.
Researched and written by Judith Perera
