Jack Arimah: A nuclear startup backed by one of the biggest names in artificial intelligence has moved one step closer to its goal of transforming the energy industry.
OKLO has signed a contract with the Department of Energy to advance development of the first commercial microreactor.
The proposed site is in Idaho.
These small modular reactors are said to take less time and money to build and operate than traditional nuclear power plants.
The company is chaired by OPENAI CEO Sam Altman, and technology companies have become increasingly prominent advocates of nuclear power in recent years.
This stable renewable energy drive comes ahead of the expected increase in electricity demand from data centers and AI operations over the next few years.
Tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon are among the companies partnering with utilities to supply them with energy from nuclear power plants.
Meanwhile, Oklo still needs to get approval for its proposed project from the Nuclear Regulation Authority.
But now that an agreement has been reached with the federal government, geotechnical assessments, environmental studies and infrastructure planning can begin.
The company plans to break ground on the Idaho nuclear plant in 2026, with it scheduled to begin operations a year later.
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