Oklo Inc., an advanced nuclear technology company, on Sept. 4 announced plans to design, build, and operate a fuel recycling facility in Tennessee as the first phase of an advanced fuel center through investment totaling up to $1.68 billion and aiming to create more than 800 high-quality jobs.
The initial investment will be for the construction of a facility to recycle used nuclear fuel into fuel for fast reactors like Oklo’s Aurora powerhouse and will be the first of its kind in the U.S., establishing a clean, reliable energy supply, the company said.
Oklo said it is also exploring opportunities with the Tennessee Valley Authority to recycle the utility’s used fuel at the new facility and to evaluate potential power sales from future Oklo powerhouses in the region to TVA.
“This collaboration would mark the first time a U.S. utility has explored recycling its used fuel into clean electricity using modern electrochemical processes, turning a legacy liability into a resource while creating a secure fuel supply for the future,” Oklo noted.
“Fuel is the most important factor in bringing advanced nuclear energy to market,” said Jacob DeWitte, Oklo co-founder and CEO. “By recycling used fuel at scale, we are turning waste into gigawatts, reducing costs, and establishing a secure U.S. supply chain that will support the deployment of clean, reliable, and affordable power. Tennessee is showing the nation that recycling can be done to support new nuclear development and growth.”
The recycling facility will recover usable fuel material from used nuclear fuel and fabricate it into fuel for advanced reactors. This process can reduce waste volumes for more economical, clean, and efficient disposal pathways, Oklo said.
Oklo has completed a licensing project plan for the fuel recycling facility with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and is currently in pre-application engagement with the regulator’s staff.
In July, Oklo successfully completed pre-application readiness assessment for Phase 1 of the combined license application for Oklo’s first commercial Aurora powerhouse.
The facility in Tennessee is expected to begin producing metal fuel for Aurora powerhouses by the early 2030s, following regulatory review and approvals.
The more than 94,000 metric tons of used nuclear fuel stored at power plant sites around the country contain considerable reserves of recyclable fuel. The energy that can be unlocked from this material via recycling is equivalent to about 1.3 trillion barrels of oil, or five times the reserves of Saudi Arabia, according to the company.
“The next generation of nuclear technologies are being built and developed right here in our own backyard,” said TVA President and CEO Don Moul. “Our partnership with Oklo represents yet another step forward in shaping the future of nuclear energy and ensuring a secure energy future for the Valley and beyond."
The fuel recycling facility is the first phase of Oklo’s broader advanced fuel center, a multi-facility campus aimed at supporting recycling and fuel fabrication.
“By locating in Tennessee, Oklo is helping position the state as an epicenter of America’s advanced nuclear era, targeting solutions for used fuel while attracting high-skilled jobs and over a billion dollars in private investment,” it said.
“Tennessee is well positioned to lead America's energy independence, which is why we created the Nuclear Energy Fund to support and expand our state's nuclear ecosystem. We're proud to partner with Oklo to innovate for the future, while bringing continued opportunity and prosperity to Tennessee families,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.
