Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO) has been chosen by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Reactor Innovation Center to advance its Groves 2 Forge facility under the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad initiative.
The selection places Oklo among 12 developers across 13 projects chosen to participate in the program, which offers a streamlined pathway for domestic reactor development and nuclear fuel cycle advancements.
Groves 2 Forge is designed to build on the operational experience gained from Oklo’s Groves Isotope Test Reactor, which was brought from greenfield to criticality in less than a year under DOE authorization.
That achievement made Oklo the first Reactor Pilot Program project to reach criticality on private land, marking a significant milestone for the domestic advanced nuclear sector.
The new facility will integrate historically fragmented parts of the isotope value chain, combining reactor irradiation with hot-cell processing capabilities including isotope separation, product recovery, packaging, and transportation.
Groves 2 Forge will initially focus on producing lutetium-177, a therapeutic isotope used in targeted cancer treatments and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte highlighted the significance of the earlier Groves project in validating the company’s approach to rapid nuclear deployment. “Groves showed how quickly a new reactor could be built and brought to criticality through close collaboration between the private sector and DOE,” said DeWitte. “Groves 2 Forge will build directly on that foundation by adding the capabilities needed to irradiate target materials and process and prepare valuable isotopes.”
Chimi Zacot, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors, also weighed in on the selection and the broader strategic value of the program. “Oklo’s experience with the Groves Isotope Test Reactor under DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program demonstrates how private developers can advance nuclear projects forward safely and efficiently under DOE authorization,” said Zacot. “Through the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad, we look forward to supporting Oklo as it builds on that progress with Groves 2 and advances integrated isotope production and processing capabilities.”
Many critical isotopes used in cancer treatment, industrial inspection, scientific research, space exploration, and national security are currently sourced from aging or foreign facilities, creating significant supply chain vulnerability.
Short-lived medical isotopes can also lose useful activity during transportation, making domestic production capacity a strategic priority for both healthcare and national security applications.
Oklo’s long-term plan for Groves 2 Forge is to transition from pilot operations to commercial-scale isotope production, contingent on securing the appropriate U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses for commercial operation.
The company, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is also developing fast fission power plants, advancing nuclear fuel recycling technologies, and working to establish a broader domestic supply chain for critical isotopes across multiple industries.
