Oklo plans two plants in Southern Ohio : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
Oklo plans two plants in Southern Ohio : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
Oklo plans two plants in Southern Ohio
18 May 2023
Oklo and the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative (SODI) have signed an agreement for land to host two of its advanced reactor plants in Southern Ohio.
How an Oklo plant might look (Image: Oklo)
Oklo says the power plants will provide up to 30 MW of electric power and 50 MW of heating. Oklo obtained a site use permit from the Department of Energy for its first reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory site in 2019 and its aim is for that to become the first commercial advanced reactor deployed in the USA, by 2026.
Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo, said: "Oklo is accelerating our commercialisation plans with sites for two more plants confirmed, building on our commercial deployment at Idaho. Our business model, and use of mature, demonstrated reactor technologies allow us to provide power to customers who want the reliable, clean and affordable energy we can provide."
Kevin Shoemaker, SODI legal counsel, said the development "will help reinvigorate the local communities surrounding the site, paving the way for a cleaner and more resilient energy infrastructure and long-term and high-tech economic benefits to the region". The site is being "evaluated for potential future manufacturing or industrial facilities".
Oklo's Aurora design is a fast neutron reactor that uses heat pipes to transport heat from the reactor core to a supercritical carbon dioxide power conversion system to generate electricity. The Aurora 'powerhouse' uses metallic high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU, fuel to produce about 1.5 MWe as well as producing usable heat.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.