Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) said the U.S. Department of Energy has approved the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement for its Aurora powerhouse reactor planned at Idaho National Laboratory. The authorization from the DOE Idaho Operations Office enables the advanced nuclear developer to move forward with its first reactor project under the department’s Reactor Pilot Program.
The company has entered into a DOE Other Transaction Agreement to support the design, construction and operation of the Aurora powerhouse. After receiving safety design approval, Oklo submitted a request for the DOE to begin reviewing its Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis.
“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. He added that the DOE pathway enables a step-by-step development process while the company continues working toward future commercial licensing with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert Boston, Manager of the DOE Idaho Operations Office, said the department remains focused on supporting safe progress from the design phase through to demonstration. Approval for the Aurora powerhouse project complements the Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility, which together form part of a broader effort to strengthen domestic nuclear capabilities in Idaho.
The Aurora reactor project is linked to Oklo’s Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility at Idaho National Laboratory, which will produce the initial fuel assemblies for the reactor. The DOE Idaho Operations Office approved the fuel facility’s safety design agreement in November 2025 and its safety analysis in December under the Advanced Nuclear Fuel Line Pilot Program.
Oklo previously secured access to fuel recovered from the Experimental Breeder Reactor II through a competitive process launched in 2019. In the same year, the company was granted a site-use permit at Idaho National Laboratory to construct the Aurora reactor.