Oklo's Compact Reactors Get Green Light, Ticking Off Major Milestones
Oklo Inc., a company that's been flying under the radar, is making significant strides in nuclear energy. Its compact sodium-cooled fast reactor, Aurora Powerhouse, is set to debut at Idaho National Laboratory by 2028.
The Department of Energy gave Oklo its Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis approval on June 11, 2026, clearing a major hurdle for construction. Kiewit is managing the build-out, with the groundbreaking ceremony taking place in September 2025.
Oklo's framework agreement with Switch has pushed their order book to approximately 14 GW. They plan to deliver this capacity through hundreds of smaller Aurora units. A separate deal with Meta will see a 1.2 GW campus built in Ohio, with construction expected to begin in the 2026-2027 window and the first phase potentially coming online as early as 2030.
Oklo is using high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for its Aurora design. In June 2026, they signed a letter of intent with Centrus Energy to receive HALEU deliveries starting in 2029. Centrus is the only US-based company licensed to produce HALEU.
The company has also announced a $1 billion at-the-market equity program in September 2026. Given that Oklo isn't generating revenue from power operations and won't until at least 2028, this funding will be crucial for their growth.