Oklo Inc. of Sunnyvale, California, has submitted its application for a mini-reactor to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the company has confirmed.
The “advanced fission power system” the company calls Aurora, is designed to generage approximately 1.5 megawatts of power. According to the World Nuclear Association, the company has initiated a “pre-application” process with the NRC back in 2016. In 2018, the company tested out an application process with the NRC to create efficiencies in design applications.
Oklo tested the new application format, as the NRC’s current format is based on full-scale light water reactors. The company said it had to break the mold on applications in order to avoid meeting the structural requirements of a large plant.
The application was met with a positive response from U.S. Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Rita Baranwal. WNA quoted Baranwal as saying, the company’s “microreactor design is the first non-light water advanced reactor to enter the (NRC) review process, which will help pave the way for future developers.”