Oklo gets key NRC approval in less than 90 days

Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO) received a key regulatory approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for its Aurora powerhouse in less than half the traditional review time, a milestone that clears a path for faster licensing and shows a federal push to accelerate advanced nuclear deployment.

"This milestone reflects strong work by the Oklo team and timely engagement by the regulator," Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte, said. "Performance-based licensing, clear criteria, and efficient reviews are important to advancing modern nuclear projects safely and responsibly."

The NRC approved Oklo’s Principal Design Criteria (PDC) topical report, which establishes the fundamental safety and performance requirements for the company's fast-fission reactor. The agency accepted the report for review in just 15 days, compared to the typical 30- to 60-day period, allowing it to be referenced in future applications without re-review.

The approval de-risks the path to commercial operation for Oklo's Aurora plant, targeted for as soon as late 2027. It comes as the company holds a customer pipeline of over 18,000 MWe, including agreements with data center giants Meta Platforms and Switch, who are seeking clean, reliable power for energy-intensive AI infrastructure.

The AI Industry's Unprecedented Power Draw

The push for new nuclear is increasingly tied to the explosive growth of artificial intelligence. In a recent announcement of a partnership with AI server giant Supermicro, NANO Nuclear Energy chairman Jay Yu said, "The AI revolution is fundamentally an energy challenge, and we believe nuclear power is the only scalable solution capable of meeting that demand." That view is spreading as hyperscale data centers, which require constant, high-density power, face a grid that is unprepared for the surge in demand. Oklo has already secured letters of intent and master agreements with data center operators Meta, Switch, and Equinix, representing a potential demand of thousands of megawatts.

A New, Faster Regulatory Environment

Oklo's accelerated review is not an isolated event. It reflects a systemic shift driven by federal policy, including the ADVANCE Act and executive orders from May 2025 aimed at streamlining licensing. The NRC is responding to calls to modernize its pathways for the advanced reactors that will be needed to meet demand. Recently, the agency also accepted an application from Radiant for its Tennessee-based microreactor factory on an eight-month expedited schedule, roughly 55% faster than the standard timeframe. These moves signal that regulators are actively clearing the way for a new fleet of nuclear technologies.

The Competitive Landscape

While Oklo's regulatory progress is a significant step, it joins a field of companies developing next-generation nuclear technology. GE Vernova (NYSE: GEV) is already constructing its BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) in Canada, the only commercial SMR under construction in North America. NuScale Power (NYSE: SMR) was the first company to receive a Standard Design Approval from the NRC for its SMR design. Oklo aims to differentiate itself with its Aurora "powerhouse," a compact fast-fission reactor that can be factory-built and is designed to run on recycled nuclear fuel, addressing one of the industry's most persistent challenges.

For investors, Oklo remains a pre-revenue company with significant capital spending ahead before its first plant begins operations in late 2027 or early 2028. The accelerated NRC approval is a critical de-risking event, but the timeline to profitability is long. The stock represents a bet on the convergence of two powerful trends: a government push for new nuclear and the private sector's urgent need for clean baseload power to fuel the global AI buildout.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.