Nuclear company moved from groundbreaking to authorisation in just over 10 months
US advanced nuclear company Oklo has secured startup authorisation from the US Department of Energy (DOE) for its Groves Isotope Test Reactor in Texas.
The approval completes the DOE authorisation process and permits fuel loading, startup testing and progress toward first criticality, when a reactor first sustains a controlled nuclear chain reaction.
The decision followed a detailed readiness review confirming that the facility, operating procedures, trained personnel and safety-management systems were prepared to support reactor startup and operations.
Groves is a low-power test reactor intended to demonstrate construction, commissioning and operating capabilities while advancing Oklo’s plans for domestic isotope production. It is a pool-type, water-cooled, non-pressurised reactor using low-enriched uranium fuel.
Oklo, which is backed by OpenAI founder Sam Altman and is also developing nuclear fission power plants and nuclear fuel technologies, said such isotopes could eventually support cancer care, manufacturing, scientific research, space exploration and national security.
The nuclear technology company moved from groundbreaking to startup authorisation in just over 10 months. During that period, it built the facility, established an operating organisation, qualified personnel, implemented nuclear and safety programmes, procured fuel and major equipment, and completed the DOE review process.
According to Oklo, the project creates a potential template for future commercial isotope facilities.
Groves was privately financed, built on private land and assembled using commercially sourced systems alongside components manufactured by Oklo.
“This approach gives the company practical experience in engineering, construction, commissioning, operations and regulatory authorisation,” a statement said.
Oklo co-founder and chief executive officer Jacob DeWitte said the facility marks “the fastest time that we are aware of” to go from greenfield to substantial completion for a full-scale, privately funded and sited reactor.
“By building on a greenfield site on private land, performing full-scale civil excavation and construction, and procuring fuel and all major components commercially, we demonstrated that the advanced nuclear industry can move at a pace that many did not believe possible.
“And this experience is fully translatable to future commercial deployments.”
