Home / Business and Economy / Oklo Breaks Ground on First Aurora Reactor as Nuclear Energy Surges
Oklo Breaks Ground on First Aurora Reactor as Nuclear Energy Surges
10 Nov
Summary
- Washington pledges to quadruple nuclear energy capacity by 2050
- Oklo's Aurora reactor selected as potential solution to electricity demand
- Oklo's application previously rejected, but now has regulatory approval
The clean energy narrative has undergone a significant shift since 2025. Once associated primarily with solar and wind, clean energy is now increasingly being reimagined as nuclear power. In a bold move, the Washington government has recently pledged to quadruple nuclear energy capacity from around 100 gigawatts (GW) today to 400 GW by 2050.
As part of this amplification strategy, the administration is focused on deploying advanced nuclear technology and fuel recycling capacities. This plays directly into the hands of nuclear startup Oklo, which has been selected as a potential solution to the expected surge in electricity demand driven by an "AI arms race."
Just three years ago, Oklo's application was rejected by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for insufficient information. However, the company's fortunes have since turned around. Over the summer of 2025, the White House issued a flurry of executive orders aimed at accelerating advanced nuclear energy technology in the U.S. As a result, Oklo has already broken ground on its first Aurora reactor through a pilot program headed by the Department of Energy (DOE).
With policy tailwinds at its back, pre-revenue Oklo has shot up almost 1,800% since August 2024. And by the looks of it, this nuclear stock could just be getting started on its path to full commercial deployment.
