The U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho Operations Office approved the Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis for Oklo Inc.'s (NYSE: OKLO) Aurora powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory under the Reactor Pilot Program.

The approval represents a detailed review of the preliminary safety basis for Aurora-INL, including hazard analysis, accident analysis, safety controls, and design commitments. The milestone advances the project through DOE's authorization pathway designed to enable accelerated deployment of nuclear generation capacity under federal oversight.

"This approval represents an important milestone for Aurora-INL and helps establish a foundation for future Aurora deployments," said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo. "Aurora-INL is helping show how advanced reactors can move through real safety review, real construction, and ultimately into commercial licensing."

Aurora-INL will be the first of Oklo's planned fast fission power plants. The project has been granted access to recovered fuel from the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II following a competitive DOE process launched in 2019, the same year Oklo received a site-use permit at INL for the Aurora powerhouse.

The project advances alongside Oklo's Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility, where the company will fabricate initial fuel assemblies for Aurora-INL from EBR-II fuel. DOE's Idaho Operations Office approved the fuel facility's PDSA in December 2025, making it the first facility approved under DOE's Fuel Line Pilot Program.

DOE's Reactor Pilot Program provides an authorization framework for building and operating advanced nuclear projects under DOE oversight. Through the program, Oklo expects to gain early deployment and operating experience with Aurora-INL while continuing to pursue U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing for future commercial operations.