Oklo asked the department to commence review of its Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis – also known as a PDSA – after receiving its approval of the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement in March.
The Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis is a major step under the department’s Reactor Pilot Program authorisation pathway and represents a detailed review of the preliminary safety basis for Aurora-INL, which will be the first of Oklo’s planned fast fission power plants. It includes the project’s hazard analysis, accident analysis, safety controls, and design commitments.
The Reactor Pilot Program framework aims to enable an accelerated deployment of scalable generation capacity under rigorous federal oversight. Oklo expects to gain early deployment and operating experience with Aurora-INL through the programme, while also pursuing US Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing to support future commercial operations.
“This approval represents an important milestone for Aurora-INL and helps establish a foundation for future Aurora deployments,” Oklo CEO Jacob DeWitte said. “Aurora-INL is helping show how advanced reactors can move through real safety review, real construction, and ultimately into commercial licensing.”
The Aurora powerhouse fast neutron reactor builds on the design and operating heritage of the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), which ran in Idaho from 1964 to 1994, using metallic fuel to produce electricity and usable heat. It can operate on fuel made from fresh HALEU or used nuclear fuel. Oklo has been granted access to recovered fuel from the EBR-II following a competitive DOE process launched in 2019.
Oklo held a ground-breaking ceremony for the Aurora-INL in September 2025.
