Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is stepping down as chairman of Oklo, the nuclear power company he backed. This move aims to eliminate potential conflicts of interest as Oklo and OpenAI explore possible collaborations, including Oklo supplying energy to OpenAI. Altman remains a significant investor in Oklo. The announcement led to a drop in Oklo's shares by over 11% in extended trading. Oklo specialises in small modular reactors (SMRs), offering a scalable nuclear energy solution. Their Aurora reactor design uses fast neutron fission and can be fuelled by high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) or used nuclear fuel. Oklo plans to deploy its first 15MW reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory by late 2027. The company has secured agreements to supply power to data centres, including a potential 12GW deal with Switch Inc.
Oklo's technology focuses on liquid-metal-cooled, metal-fuelled fast reactors, drawing on the legacy of reactors like EBR-II. These reactors offer inherent safety features and the ability to use nuclear waste as fuel. Lightbridge and Oklo have also signed a memorandum of understanding for a feasibility study into co-locating their planned fuel fabrication facilities and to explore potential for collaboration in recycling nuclear waste. Oklo's reactors are designed to be factory-assembled and transported to various sites, making them a cost-effective and rapidly deployable energy solution.
Oklo's innovative approach has garnered attention from various industries and has been studied by Harvard Business School. The company's reactors are intended to be more flexible, scalable, and rapidly deployable than traditional large-scale nuclear plants. Oklo primarily targets industries, utilities, remote communities, and organisations requiring reliable, off-grid, or decentralised power. Their solutions are suited for customers in locations where grid reliability is critical, emissions reduction is a priority, or traditional infrastructure is uneconomical.