Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) on Tuesday cleared a key federal safety milestone toward advancing its fuel production plans.
The advanced nuclear developer said the U.S. Department of Energy approved a preliminary safety review for its Idaho fuel facility.
The DOE’s Idaho Operations Office signed off on Oklo’s Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis.
The approval covers the Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility at Idaho National Laboratory. That decision allows physical assembly of the fuel facility to begin.
The site will produce fuel for Oklo’s first commercial-scale powerhouse.
Why The Approval Matters
The facility marks the first approval under DOE’s Fuel Line Pilot Program. That program aims to shorten timelines for advanced nuclear infrastructure.
Oklo reached the prior safety agreement in less than two weeks. Federal officials designed the pathway to speed repeatable manufacturing approvals.
Next Regulatory Steps
The preliminary review represents the second of three required safety documents.
Oklo must still submit a final Documented Safety Analysis. That filing will reflect final engineering and construction details. A startup readiness review will follow before operations begin.
The project supports domestic fuel security and advanced reactor deployment.
The facility will recycle material from the legacy Experimental Breeder Reactor-II. Oklo plans to repurpose that material for its Aurora-INL powerhouse. The Aurora-INL site participates in DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program.
Jacob DeWitte, Oklo’s co-founder and chief executive, highlighted the commercial implications. “By advancing modern fuel fabrication and recycling, we’re addressing fuel-supply constraints, improving the economics of our powerhouses, and opening new long-term revenue streams for the business,” DeWitte said.
He added the company is moving quickly toward full facility deployment.
Company And Site Background
Oklo gained access to EBR-II fuel through a competitive DOE process in 2019.
That same year, the company received site-use authorization at Idaho National Laboratory. Idaho National Laboratory serves as the nation’s primary nuclear research center.
Battelle Energy Alliance manages the laboratory for DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy.
OKLO Price Action: Oklo shares were down 0.89% at $81.59 during premarket trading on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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