Oklo Breaks Ground at INL for First Aurora Powerhouse SMR
Aalo Atomics Breaks Ground On ‘Extra-Modular Reactor’ at INL
Texas Invests $350M In Nuclear Energy, Appoints Jarred Shaffer To Lead Expansion
Aecon and Fermi Energia Team on SMRs in Estonia
US Needs New Class Of Investor For Large-Scale Nuclear Projects
NRC To Hold 6th Annual Artificial Intelligence Workshop
IAEA~ Deploying Artificial Intelligence Applications in the Nuclear Power Industry
IAEA – International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Energy
Oklo Breaks Ground at INL for First Aurora Powerhouse SMR
Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO), an advanced nuclear technology company, will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) on Monday 09/22/25 for its first Aurora powerhouse, the Aurora-INL.
Oklo is participating in the DOE’s newly established Reactor Pilot Program, a pathway created in response to executive orders signed in May 2025 to accelerate advanced nuclear deployment and to modernize nuclear licensing. Aurora-INL is one of three projects awarded to Oklo under the program, with two awarded directly to Oklo and one awarded to its subsidiary, Atomic Alchemy.
The Aurora-INL is a sodium-cooled fast reactor that uses metal fuel and builds on the design and operating heritage of the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), which ran in Idaho from 1964 to 1994. Oklo was awarded fuel recovered from EBR-II by the DOE in 2019 and has completed two of four steps for DOE authorization to fabricate its initial core at the Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility (A3F) at INL.
Kiewit Nuclear Solutions Co., a subsidiary of Kiewit Corporation, one of North America’s largest construction and engineering organizations, will serve as lead EPC supporting the design, procurement, and construction of the powerhouse under a Master Services Agreement announced in July 2025. Oklo expects to leverage Kiewit’s extensive expertise in delivering large-scale industrial projects on accelerated schedules with reduced costs, while maintaining high standards of safety and quality.
The project is expected to create approximately 370 jobs during construction and 70–80 long-term, highly skilled roles to operate the powerhouse and A3F.
“INL has always been where nuclear innovation becomes reality,” said INL Director John Wagner. “Today’s groundbreaking with Oklo continues that legacy, bringing advanced reactor technology from the laboratory to commercial deployment right here in Idaho.”
The groundbreaking event will include opening remarks from Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte and INL Director John Wagner, keynote remarks from U.S. Environmental Protections Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, and brief remarks from officials including Idaho Governor Bradley Little, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and James Risch, U.S. Congressman Mike Simpson, Idaho Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Commissioner Bradley Crowell, U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Michael Goff and Robert Boston, and Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper.
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Aalo Atomics Breaks Ground On ‘Extra-Modular Reactor’ at INL
US advanced nuclear company aiming for first criticality by July 2024
(NucNet) US-based advanced nuclear company Aalo Atomics announced it has broken ground on its first experimental nuclear power plant, Aalo-X, at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
The company said the facility, a 10-MW sodium-cooled test reactor, is the first step towards its planned line of “extra-modular reactors” (XMRs), which it said is a new category of modular reactors designed to bridge the gap between microreactors and small modular reactors (SMRs).
Aalo said construction is proceeding under a US Department of Energy (DOE) pilot program established by one of president Donald Trump’s recent executive orders, which set a goal of achieving first criticality in at least three advanced reactors by July 2026.
The XMR design is based on pods containing five factory-built, 10-MW Aalo-1 reactors arranged around a single turbine to produce 50 MW.
The company said the approach combines factory manufacturing with higher power levels and simplified civil works. Aalo-X will be manufactured at pilot factory in Austin, Texas and will then be transported and installed at the INL site.
According to Aalo, each Aalo-1 reactor uses liquid sodium metal coolant, which allows for higher energy density than conventional water-cooled reactors. The design’s compact footprint and lack of external cooling water are intended to enable co-location with power-intensive data centers.
The Aalo-X itself consists of a single Aalo-1 reactor and turbine, serving as a proof-of-concept for the full 50-MW Aalo Pod product line. The company said the lessons from manufacturing, shipping, installation, licensing and operation will determine whether its modular approach can scale commercially.
Aalo said it has completed a conceptual design review, secured site allocation at INL, received environmental approvals and opened the pilot factory in Austin to build reactor modules.
The company expects Aalo-X to reach first criticality by in July 2026 and to supply power to a co-located data center by mid-2027. The firm did not identify the data center developer,
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Texas Invests $350M In Nuclear Energy, Appoints Jarred Shaffer To Lead Expansion
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Jarred Shaffer to lead the newly created Texas Advanced Nuclear Office. The agency will oversee $350 million in state funding aimed at developing nuclear energy projects across Texas.
Image Created by Google Gemini
The appointment comes as Texas seeks to expand beyond fossil fuels and attract new nuclear development. With federal support growing for nuclear power, the state is aiming to capture a share of the emerging advanced reactor market.
“The State of Texas continues to build the world’s most robust and diverse energy sector,” said Abbott.
Shaffer currently serves as a budget and policy advisor in Abbott’s office. His background includes stints with the Texas House Committee on State Affairs, the state transportation department, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. He holds a degree in international relations from the University of Texas at Austin.
The Texas Advanced Nuclear Office (TANO) emerged from legislation Abbott signed in June. House Bill 14 established both the office and its $350 million development fund.
The fund will provide financial incentives to nuclear developers choosing Texas for their projects. TANO will also work to streamline regulatory processes that have historically slowed nuclear development.
Shaffer’s appointment comes as several states compete to attract advanced nuclear projects. These next-generation reactors promise safer, more efficient designs than traditional nuclear plants.
Texas currently operates two nuclear plants — one near Bay City and the other near Glen Rose — that generate about 10% of the state’s electricity. The new initiative is intended to expand the state’s nuclear footprint in coming decades.
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Aecon and Fermi Energia Team on SMRs in Estonia
Aecon Group Inc. announced that it has signed a teaming agreement with Fermi Energia AS to advance cooperation on the development and deployment of GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor technology in Estonia.
The agreement establishes a cooperative framework for Aecon and Fermi Energia to work together during the SMR development phase as the exclusive provider to develop a qualified domestic nuclear capability, modeled after the Canadian experience, to benefit the BWRX-300 deployment in Estonia.
During the agreement’s three-year term, the parties will strategize, plan, and evaluate paths forward for the deployment of the BWRX-300 in Estonia. Aecon and Fermi Energia will work together on a pre-construction schedule and cost planning, and the development of a capable reactor building deployment team, in collaboration with local and international partners.
“This agreement builds on Aecon’s proven experience and gives Estonia access to the world’s most advanced SMR construction expertise. It is a significant step forward towards our goal of delivering safe, reliable, and carbon-free nuclear energy for Estonia’s future,” says Kalev Kallemets, CEO, Fermi Energia.
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US Needs New Class Of Investor For Large-Scale Nuclear Projects
Risk-averse utilities ‘no longer willing or able’ to confront financial risk
(NucNet) US Needs New Class Of Investor For Large-Scale Nuclear Projects. The report points to the all-in price tag for the two new nuclear reactors at the Vogtle nuclear station in the US
If the US is to break the current logjam in building large-scale nuclear power plants, a nuclear financing model is needed anchored by a new class of investors who are better capable of managing the upfront financial and development challenges of a greenfield reactor project.
According to a new report, written by a senior fellow at the US National Center for Energy Analytics, risk-averse utilities are no longer willing or able to confront the financial risk of building new reactors.
The widespread perception in the electric utility industry is that conventional large reactors are too capital-intensive, too time-consuming to build, and too financially risky to undertake. The report says this is problematic since these companies are the operators and owners of the current nuclear fleet and the traditional sponsors of new capacity.
The industry trend of cost overruns and construction delays persists to this day, according to the report. Critics point to the all-in price tag for the two new nuclear reactors added at the Vogtle nuclear station in Georgia – roughly $16,000 per kilowatt each – as proof of the prohibitive cost of adding new nuclear capacity, the report says.
The report says large infrastructure private equity firms such as Brookfield Asset Management, BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners and Macquarie Asset Management have experience in the overlapping domains of energy, infrastructure, project delivery, and risk management.
While not active thus far in large-scale nuclear power, such greenfield experience is “fungible and transferable” given the networks of operating teams, technical experts, and development companies that these fund managers can draw upon, according to the report.
The report says infrastructure investment firms have critical mass in terms of capital resources and the ability to write the large upfront equity check required for large-scale nuclear construction.
There is currently some $1tn of infrastructure-related private equity capital that could be used to fund new US nuclear projects, including a significant amount of supplementary capital available from third parties such as technology companies.
The top seven Big Tech companies combined, the “Magnificent Seven,” alone currently have nearly $500 billion of cash on hand.
“Utilizing an asset-specific project finance model that maximizes lower-cost debt in the capital structure would allow these new private equity sponsors to sell a completed nuclear plant to a utility operator at an attractive all-in price including financing costs while still achieving their targeted fund returns.”
But the report warns that attracting private equity capital to nuclear power will require a favorable investment backdrop which, in turn, will depend on greater regulatory certainty, especially during the all-important construction phase.
The report, A Strategy for Financing the Nuclear Future, is by Paul Tice a senior fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics.
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NRC To Hold 6th Annual Artificial Intelligence Workshop
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is holding a public workshop Sept. 24th from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern time, to discuss the agency’s activities enabling the safe and secure use of Artificial Intelligence in NRC-regulated activities. The hybrid public workshop will provide an opportunity for the public, stakeholders and experts to discuss the regulatory and technical aspects of AI usage in nuclear applications. Agenda Registration Link
NRC Chairman David Wright will participate in a fireside chat with Nuclear Energy Institute President and CEO Maria Korsnick at 9:15 a.m. during the workshop. They will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating AI technologies into the nuclear sector, providing an engaging introduction to a series of workshop presentations from NRC staff, researchers, and industry experts.
This is the sixth workshop in a series organized by the NRC for agency staff and stakeholders to explore advancements in AI technologies and their intersection with nuclear safety and regulation. This workshop will feature updates on implementing the NRC’s AI Project Plan, insights into the agency’s use of AI, and presentations by industry leaders and academic experts on the development and application of AI in nuclear contexts. In addition,
the workshop aims to solicit feedback to inform future regulatory approaches as AI continues to evolve within the nuclear industry.
For those attending in person, the workshop will be held in the auditorium at NRC headquarters at 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland. Information about online participation is found in the meeting notice. All participants must register for the workshop.
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New IAEA Report – Deploying Artificial Intelligence Applications in the Nuclear Power Industry
The increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) across industries has unveiled its transformative potential for enhancing the safety, security, efficiency and reliability of nuclear power plants (NPP).
While AI technologies are advancing rapidly in various fields, their adoption in the nuclear power industry remains in the nascent stages, characterized by pilot projects and limited deployment.
This publication provides general guidance on the aspects that need addressing when deploying AI applications in NPPs. It presents the latest information, up to date best practices, experiences, benefits and challenges related to AI in the life cycle of NPPs.
The objectives of this publication are to:
— Provide an overview of various data driven and physics informed AI and ML applications in the nuclear power industry that have the potential to advance the autonomy level (see Section 1.3.1) when deployed in a nuclear power plant;
— Identify technical, human factors, stakeholder, regulatory, and other considerations (including hardware, software and infrastructure) for enabling broader deployment of AI solutions and end user acceptance;
— Emphasize that different categories of data, their relevance, and governance ensuring data integrity play a vital role in developing an AI technology;
— Promote stakeholder engagement and risk assessment throughout the AI development and deployment process
This publication is organized as follows:
— Section 2 provides an overview of the applications and capabilities of AI technologies in the nuclear power industry, emphasizing the benefits of these technologies.
— Section 3 presents insights into different considerations for developing life cycle management of AI systems (design, development, deployment, and operation and monitoring), promoting broader end
user acceptance.
— Section 4 discusses different categories of data, their relevance and their governance as their integrity plays a vital role in developing an AI technology.
— Section 5 presents further deployment considerations including regulatory oversight and engagement strategies.
STI/PUB/2119 ISBN 978-92-0-115525-2
70 pages ¦ 3 figures ¦ € 50.00 ¦ Date published: 2025
https://doi.org/10.61092/iaea.s6uy-wjt8
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International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Energy
The principal objective of the IAEO Sponsored International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Energy will take place 3–4 December 2025, Vienna, Austria.
It will bring together relevant stakeholders to review and explore opportunities for cooperation and mutual benefit towards the use of nuclear energy to power data centers, including for enabling AI’s expansion, and the use of AI to drive innovation and efficiencies in the nuclear industry.
The two-day event will primarily focus on assessing and strengthening synergies between nuclear power and AI, from powering data center’s to enhancing and accelerating nuclear innovation. It will also be an opportunity for the AI and nuclear sectors and their associated industries to establish new and/or strengthen synergistic relationships going forward.
Technical panel discussions will aim to bring together diverse international perspectives from various experts to foster a comprehensive understanding of how nuclear power can support and address projected energy needs to help ensure that the full scope of opportunities and innovations that AI has to offer come to fruition.
The symposium will also elaborate on the IAEA’s role vis-à-vis emerging end-users, such as the AI industry, as prospective protagonists in the nuclear energy ecosystem. The dialogue will explore the gamut of nuclear power development and deployment including the complexities of technology selection, infrastructure development, stakeholder engagement, financing, construction, operation, decommissioning and the management of safety, security, safeguards and human resources.
A limited amount of space will be available for exhibitions and the programme will accommodate networking and side events. Contact the Scientific Secretariate by email at [email protected] for more information.
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