US-based Oklo has signed a non-binding letter of intent with Wyoming Hyperscale to supply 100 MWe to a state-of-the-art data centre campus. The companies intend to enter into a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), highlighting Oklo’s commitment to providing reliable and scalable clean power solutions in response to the increasing demand for electricity driven by global digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption.
“As the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence increases, Oklo remains dedicated to providing clean, reliable, and affordable energy solutions to meet the needs of our data centre partners,” said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo. “Our partnership with Wyoming Hyperscale underscores our commitment to advancing sustainable energy practices and supporting high-efficiency operations within the data centre industry,”
Trenton Thornock, Founder and Managing Member of Wyoming Hyperscale said the goal is to create data centres with minimal environmental impact. “This collaboration with Oklo perfectly aligns with our vision for sustainable, efficient operations. By merging sustainability with advanced technology, we are setting a new standard for the future of accelerated computing.”
Oklo is developing the Aurora microreactor, 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 US Department of Energy (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.
In February, Oklo reportedly signed a similar letter of intent with Equinix to supply up to 500 MWe of power to Equinix for its data centres.
