Oklo Announces U.S. Department of Energy Approval for Nuclear Safety Design Agreement of Aurora Powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO) (Oklo), an advanced nuclear technology company, today announced that it has signed a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) to support the design, construction, and operation of Oklo’s first reactor, the Aurora powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) under DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program (RPP). The DOE Idaho Operations Office subsequently approved the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement (NSDA) for the fast-fission power plant, and Oklo immediately requested DOE commence review of its Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis (PDSA).

The NSDA is the first step under DOE’s RPP authorization licensing pathway, which has the potential to unlock U.S. industrial capacity by establishing an accelerated framework that enables quick and scalable generation capacity. With the OTA signed and the NSDA approved, the Aurora powerhouse at INL (Aurora-INL) enters the next phase of project execution under DOE oversight after initial groundbreaking in September.

“The OTA sets the program structure, while the design agreement reflects DOE’s rigorous authorization process and safety-first approach,” said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo. “DOE’s pathway for the Aurora-INL supports a stepwise approach to deploying our first powerhouse while we continue progressing our engagement for future commercial licensing by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.”

“DOE Idaho is committed to enabling safe, disciplined progress from design to demonstration,” said Robert Boston, Manager of the DOE Idaho Operations Office. “With the Aurora powerhouse NSDA—alongside the Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility—we’re supporting an integrated Idaho effort that can help scale domestic nuclear capability for the next generation of secure and reliable energy.”

The Aurora-INL is supported by Oklo’s broader Idaho work, such as the Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility (A3F) at INL, which will fabricate the first fuel assemblies for the Aurora-INL. DOE Idaho approved the A3F NSDA in November 2025 and the A3F PDSA in December under DOE’s Advanced Nuclear Fuel Line Pilot Program.

DOE’s RPP authorization offers a modern framework for building and operating advanced nuclear generating capacity and supports an accelerated path to building, operating, and gaining experience under DOE authorization. Oklo plans to subsequently pursue NRC licensing to support commercial operations.

Oklo secured access to fuel recovered from the Experimental Breeder Reactor II through a competitive process launched in 2019. That same year, the company received a site-use permit at INL to site and construct the Aurora-INL.

About Oklo Inc.: Oklo Inc. is developing fast fission power plants to deliver clean, reliable, affordable energy at global scale; establishing a domestic supply chain for critical radioisotopes; and advancing nuclear fuel recycling to convert used nuclear fuel into clean energy. Oklo was the first to receive a site use permit from the U.S. Department of Energy for a commercial advanced fission plant, was awarded fuel from Idaho National Laboratory, and submitted the first custom combined license application for an advanced reactor to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Oklo is also developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Laboratories.