The New Atomic Age: America's Nuclear Reboot Begins in Texas

LOCKHART, Texas — The last time the United States built a nuclear reactor this quickly, the country was racing to develop atomic technology during World War II.

More than 80 years later, a startup company outside Lockhart, Texas, is trying to prove America can build nuclear reactors fast again.

A startup company outside Lockhart, Texas, is trying to prove America can build nuclear reactors fast again. (Photo: CBS Austin)

Oklo, an advanced nuclear technology company, says it completed construction of its pilot isotope production reactor, known as Groves One, in just 229 days — one of the fastest reactor construction timelines in modern U.S. history.

“So this is our pilot isotope production reactor we call Groves One,” said Oklo CEO Jacob DeWitte during a tour of the facility. “It’s something we built from the ground up in about 229 days to reach substantial completion.”

The reactor is part of a broader push by the federal government to accelerate nuclear energy development in the United States. Oklo is one of 11 companies selected for President Donald Trump’s nuclear reactor pilot program, a Department of Energy initiative aimed at bringing at least three reactors online by July 4.

A startup company outside Lockhart, Texas, is trying to prove America can build nuclear reactors fast again. (Photo: CBS Austin)

Oklo says its mission is to modernize nuclear energy by providing reliable, carbon-free power at a time when electricity demand is rising and concerns about energy security are growing.

“Oklo’s mission is really to bring nuclear technology forward,” DeWitte said. “To bring clean, scalable energy that provides a durable, long-scale solution for both energy abundance as well as climate perspectives.”

The facility’s name is a nod to nuclear history. Groves One is named after General Leslie Groves, who directed the Manhattan Project during World War II.

“The naming came out of inspiration from the early atomic days and the Manhattan Project,” DeWitte said. “It was an homage to General Groves.”

Despite growing interest in nuclear power, public concerns remain. Accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl left lasting impressions on generations of Americans.

DeWitte argues modern reactor technology is fundamentally different.

“You can design these reactors to have incredible safety characteristics,” he said. “The great thing about nuclear systems is you can design them to be self-protecting, self-stabilizing and self-cooling.”

A startup company outside Lockhart, Texas, is trying to prove America can build nuclear reactors fast again. (Photo: CBS Austin)

He also points to nuclear energy’s safety record compared to other energy sources, noting it has one of the lowest rates of deaths per unit of energy produced.

According to DeWitte, America’s biggest challenge has not been technology but a lack of construction.

“We’re just getting into the phase of building again,” he said. “Russia and China are building. A lot of other countries are building. It’s pretty insane how much ground we’ve lost in the last 30 years in terms of actually building.”

While he believes the United States still leads in nuclear innovation, he says that advantage will not last without new projects.

“We have to be in a mode of building and iterating and scaling,” DeWitte said.

The next major milestone for Groves One is achieving criticality — the point at which a reactor becomes self-sustaining.

DeWitte said teams are working around the clock to meet the aggressive timeline.

“We’re doing everything and working around the clock to get there,” he said.

If Oklo succeeds, the achievement could represent more than a milestone for a single company. Supporters say it could signal the beginning of a broader American nuclear resurgence, one increasingly tied to energy independence, economic competitiveness and national security.