The US's first private nuclear recycler

Advanced nuclear startup Oklo announced the construction of the first privately funded spent nuclear fuel recycling facility in Oak Ridge as the first phase of its Advanced Fuel Center project. The facility, with a total investment of $1.68 billion and a target of over 800 jobs, aims to regenerate fuel for fast reactors.

FIRST RECYCLING FACILITY

According to Oklo's announcement, the facility will be the first privately funded recycling facility in the U.S. to refuel spent nuclear fuel. The company describes the project as the beginning of its extensive Advanced Fuel Center campus in Tennessee.

QUALIFIED EMPLOYMENT

The Tennessee State Department of Economic and Community Development announced that the project will create over 800 skilled jobs with an investment of approximately $1.7 billion and that the facility will be located on the Oak Ridge Heritage Center site.

NEW COOPERATION

Oklo is in discussions with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to evaluate the utility's spent fuel recovery and the possibility of future energy sales from Oklo's regional power plants to TVA. If this collaboration is finalized, it would be one of the first times a US utility has considered recycling its own spent fuel using modern electrochemical methods.

METAL FUEL PRODUCTION

The company announced that it has entered into a pre-application application with the NRC for its recycling facility and completed its licensing project plan. Following regulatory approvals, Oklo aims for the facility to begin producing metal fuel for Aurora-type fast reactors in the early 2030s.

TRANSFORMING FROM 'PROBLEM' TO 'SOURCE'

Reprocessing spent fuel into fuel aims to create a domestic and resilient supply chain for advanced reactors. This approach reduces import dependency, supply risks, and cost pressures, while also being seen as a strategic step toward achieving long-term clean and sustainable power. Industry commentary suggests the initiative could strengthen the US paradigm of shifting nuclear waste from a "problem" to a "resource."

GOAL: GROW THE ECOSYSTEM

Tennessee aims to attract nuclear technology companies to the state through the Nuclear Energy Fund and grow the ecosystem with universities and research institutions. Oklo's move adds another link to the chain of companies clustered in Tennessee thanks to the program's support.

COST AND SECURITY

While nuclear fuel recycling remains controversial due to cost and safety concerns, initiatives like Oklo aim to ensure long-term, competitive fuel supply through the commercialization of advanced reactors. This initiative is highlighted in light of the energy transition, the increasing demand for data centers, and trends in industrial electrification.

Source: Headline News – News Center