The collaboration is under a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this year to jointly assess the feasibility of commercial-scale fuel fabrication within Oklo's planned fuel manufacturing infrastructure. The new initiative aims to accelerate the commercialisation of advanced nuclear fuels through joint fuel fabrication and research and development, including manufacturing fuel using repurposed plutonium from legacy materials, the companies said. It follows the series of executive orders issued by the White House in May, prioritising the acceleration of nuclear energy deployment in the USA, including a call for the Secretary of Energy to establish a programme to process surplus plutonium and make it available for advanced reactor fuel.
The proposed co-located facility would support the production of advanced fuels for both fast reactors and light water reactors, and would also serve as a joint R&D hub for advanced fuel development. This reinforces the companies' "commitment to US leadership in advanced nuclear fuel manufacturing and recycling", and the collaboration "underscores a shared vision for strengthening domestic energy security, supporting advanced reactor deployment, improving the performance of existing light water reactors, and enhancing the resilience of the nuclear fuel supply chain," they said.
Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte said the collaboration supports efforts to bolster near- and mid-term advanced reactor fuel supplies with legacy materials such as down-blended uranium and repurposed plutonium. "It directly aligns with strong federal direction supporting domestic fuel independence," he added.
"This joint effort reflects a shared vision for a modern nuclear fuel cycle - one that supports both existing and advanced reactors and strengthens America's energy resilience," said Seth Grae, president and CEO of Lightbridge Corporation. "Together, we're working toward a new era of US-led nuclear innovation."
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