Oklo and Argonne National Laboratory Sign Agreement to Commercialize Advanced Fuel Recycling

• The agreement marks a milestone in the commercialization of advanced fuel recycling.
• Electrorefining technology has the capability to markedly reduce fuel costs for advanced fission while establishing a crucial supply chain for the deployment of clean power plants. 

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oklo Inc. and Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) have signed an agreement to formalize both parties’ commitment to commercializing advanced fuel recycling technology. The partnership is an outcome of a cost-share project awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF), authorized in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The TCF is a nearly $30 million funding opportunity that leverages R&D funding in the applied energy programs to mature promising energy technologies with the potential for high impact.

The project involves work with electrorefining technology to recycle fuel for use in advanced fission power plants. Oklo is matching DOE funding for commercializing electrorefining technology, which will help reduce fuel costs for advanced fission, while reducing supply chain risks.

“This partnership with Argonne will help reduce fuel costs for advanced reactors, and therefore overall costs for power from advanced fission,” said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo. “There are tremendous energy reserves in used fuel that can provide emission-free power for entire nations for centuries while reducing the volume and radiological lifetime of waste material,” added DeWitte.

By working together through this agreement, Oklo and Argonne can accelerate the deployment of emission-free energy to market cost-effectively, aided by advanced fuel recycling capabilities.

About Oklo Inc.: Oklo Inc. (Oklo) is a California-based company developing advanced fission power plants to provide emission-free, reliable, and affordable energy. Oklo received a Site Use Permit from the U.S Department of Energy, successfully demonstrated prototypic fabrication of its metallic fuel, was awarded fuel material from Idaho National Laboratory, and developed the first advanced fission combined license application, which was accepted and docketed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.