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Agreement to secure planned U.S. manufacturing capacity for large reactor components, supporting Oklo's strategy for repeatable deployment.
Partnership targets long-lead manufacturing needs for future Aurora projects, complementing the separate supply-chain work already underway in Idaho for Oklo's first powerhouse.
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO) (“Oklo” or “the Company”), an advanced nuclear technology company, today announced a strategic manufacturing agreement with U.S. Forged Rings, Inc. (USFR) to support the long-term deployment of Oklo's Aurora powerhouses through access to planned domestic manufacturing capacity for large reactor components.
The agreement aims to help Oklo address a potential manufacturing bottleneck for future deployments by reserving planned domestic capacity for large components within the Aurora reactor module system.
Under the agreement, Oklo will reserve manufacturing capacity at USFR's planned industrial campus in Hertford County, North Carolina, for components supporting future Aurora powerhouse deployments, with initial finished component deliveries beginning in 2030. The arrangement is intended to support capacity through 2035 and includes options to expand that capacity.
"Building nuclear powerhouses at scale means thinking well beyond the reactor itself. We need the fuel, manufacturing capabilities, suppliers and infrastructure in place to deliver projects repeatedly," said co-founder and CEO of Oklo Jacob DeWitte. "This agreement supports our effort to build an American supply chain for a growing Aurora fleet, with large reactor components manufactured here in the United States. Reserving that capacity today prepares us for the demands of repeated deployments."
Large stainless-steel components, including reactor vessels, lids and supporting structures, can present significant manufacturing and logistical challenges. Producing these components may require multiple fabrication steps, transportation between suppliers, and additional welding, machining and inspection.
USFR's planned campus is designed to bring together casting, forging, ring rolling, heat treatment, machining, fabrication and inspection capabilities integrating several stages in one location, reducing transportation between suppliers and improving coordination across production. The multi-phase industrial campus in North Carolina is intended to serve customers requiring large, complex metal components, including the nuclear energy, LNG, natural gas, power generation, defense and shipbuilding industries. The campus site will also provide access to adjacent domestic steelmaking, rail and an on-site port to support barge shipment of oversized components.
"Today many of the largest steel components for nuclear reactors are sourced overseas," said US Forged Rings’ CEO & President Giacomo Sozzi. "Our planned North Carolina campus is designed to bring that capability back to the United States, from liquid steel to finished, inspected components. Oklo’s decision to reserve capacity well ahead of need is the kind of early commitment that makes domestic heavy manufacturing possible. We’re excited to work with Oklo on the capabilities needed for future Aurora powerhouse deployments.”
The agreement supports Oklo's longer-term manufacturing strategy and is separate from the procurement, manufacturing, and construction activities already advancing for its first Aurora powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory.
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 isotopes; 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.
About US Forged Rings (USFR): The Company is developing a 2000+ acre campus in North Carolina, which including other planned Campus residents, will create the first USA based industrial cluster for ultra-heavy steel forged and fabricated components, ending the nation’s dependence on imports. The Cluster’s vertically integrated product offering will span from liquid steel production all the way to finished components for the nuclear, gas, hydro and geothermal power generation sectors, thanks to the co-location on Campus of USFR’s downstream added value customers.