Advanced nuclear energy production is speeding up. Last night in Lockhart, Texas, Oklo’s Groves Isotope Test Reactor hit a major milestone successfully achieved criticality.

Groves is already the fifth advanced reactor authorized by the Department of Energy (DOE) to reach this stage just this summer.

A Faster Way to Build

Photo: Oklo

The main goal for this test reactor is to help design a future commercial version. That future plant will produce isotopes used for medicine, space exploration, scientific research, national security, and advanced manufacturing. Amazingly, Oklo moved very fast to reach this point.

“Reaching criticality in less than a year is an incredible milestone for our team,” said Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte. “Oklo developed Groves from a greenfield site on private land, completed full-scale civil excavation and construction, manufactured or commercially procured all components, including fuel, and developed its operating programs in-house. Taken together, we believe these accomplishments establish a new benchmark for the Reactor Pilot Program and set the stage for the future of advanced nuclear deployment at scale.”

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Growing the Advanced Nuclear Industry

Oklo joins Antares Nuclear, Valar Atomics, Deployable Energy, and Aalo Atomics in reaching criticality. All of the companies hit this milestone because of the DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program.

With DOE oversight and technical support, they are resetting industry expectations on how long it takes to develop and deploy these reactors. This new authorization path shows how regulatory reform can speed up innovation. It also helps usher in a “golden age” for nuclear energy and advances.

“We applaud the work of the Oklo, DOE, and Idaho National Laboratory staff who helped achieve this milestone,” said Garrish.

Under this new program, a growing group of companies has shown they can build and test advanced reactors on a totally new timeline. Now, they will use what they built to make isotopes and support future deployment.