- Strategic Partnership: Oklo solidifies a strategic partnership with SODI for the redevelopment of the former uranium enrichment plant, marking a crucial step towards the deployment of advanced fission powerhouses in the Piketon region.
- Innovative Technology Milestones: Oklo’s Aurora design, a compact fast neutron reactor, gains traction with DOE approvals for safety design strategies at the Idaho National Laboratory. The groundbreaking technology utilizes metallic HALEU fuel, showcasing its potential to revolutionize energy infrastructure.
- Community Revitalization and Safety Focus: The collaboration between Oklo and SODI not only promises energy transformation but also focuses on community revitalization. Safety measures and regulatory approvals underscore a commitment to responsible and innovative development in the advanced fission power sector.
In a significant development, Oklo, a prominent player in advanced fission power, has solidified its collaboration with SODI (Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative), the designated community reuse organization for the former Portsmouth gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment plant. This agreement builds upon a prior non-binding memorandum of understanding between Oklo and SODI in May 2023. It signifies substantial progress towards the development and implementation of the site, with the procurement of land at SODI emerging as a pivotal next step for deploying two powerhouses.
Oklo’s co-founder and CEO, Jacob DeWitte, expressed optimism about the potential within the Piketon region, emphasizing the talent and infrastructure it offers. He acknowledged the value of the partnership with SODI and the collaborative efforts with the local community. DeWitte also extended gratitude to the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management for facilitating these crucial public-private partnerships.
The agreement underscores Oklo’s commitment to transformative impact through the redevelopment of the former uranium enrichment plant. Steven Shepherd, the Executive Director of SODI, emphasized the significance of Oklo’s land purchase agreement in bringing attention to the potential positive effects on energy infrastructure and community revitalization.
Oklo’s Aurora design, a compact fast neutron reactor utilizing heat pipes and a supercritical carbon dioxide power conversion system, is at the forefront of their advanced fission power technology. The ‘powerhouse’ employs metallic high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel, producing approximately 15 MWe and usable heat. Notably, Oklo submitted an application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March 2020 for an Aurora reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site.
A recent milestone for Oklo came on January 31, as the DOE reviewed and approved the safety design strategy (SDS) for the fuel facility planned at INL. This facility aims to demonstrate the reuse of recovered nuclear material to support advanced fission power plant demonstrations. Oklo had previously been selected through a competitive DOE-supported process to utilize material recovered from used nuclear fuel from INL’s decommissioned Experimental Breeder Reactor-II, producing high-assay low-enriched uranium for advanced reactors.
Acknowledging the SDS approval as a significant step, DeWitte highlighted its importance in progressing towards DOE approval of the Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility, a crucial component for fuel production in their planned commercial power plant. Oklo is actively working with INL operator Battelle Energy Alliance on the next phase, focusing on the conceptual safety design report. This report will encapsulate hazard analysis efforts, safety-in-design decisions, and project risks associated with selected strategies, further solidifying Oklo’s strides in advancing nuclear technology.
