US Approval Accelerates, Nuclear Newcomer Oklo Reaches a Key Milestone

American nuclear power newcomer Oklo has reached a significant regulatory milestone, as its Aurora nuclear power plant's core design criteria report has been approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), with a review cycle taking less than half the time of traditional processes.

The NRC has completed the approval of this report on an expedited review schedule, this progress clears a key hurdle for Oklo's ongoing licensing application for the Aurora nuclear power plant under construction in Idaho. Once approved, this report can be directly cited in future applications, eliminating the need to review established content again, significantly reducing the time cost of subsequent licensing processes. Oklo's co-founder and CEO, Jacob DeWitte, stated that this milestone reflects the solid work of the Oklo team and the efficient cooperation with regulatory authorities.

This approval acceleration is highly aligned with the recent policy direction of the U.S. federal government to advance nuclear energy permit modernization, and it further strengthens market expectations for the acceleration of the commercialization process of advanced nuclear energy.

Approval Acceleration: Less Than Half the Traditional Cycle

The NRC's review of Oklo's main design criteria (PDC) special report has set a significant record in terms of time efficiency.

According to Oklo's announcement, the review cycle of this report is less than half of the traditional review timeline. Additionally, the NRC issued an acceptance notice only 15 days after Oklo submitted the report, whereas this process typically requires 30 to 60 days.

The core function of the PDC special report is to establish a regulatory framework and clearly define the basic safety, reliability, and performance requirements that future reactor licensing and design activities must follow. Once approved, the report can be directly referenced in subsequent licensing applications, avoiding repeated reviews of approved content, thereby systematically compressing the overall licensing cycle.

Policy Tailwind: Multiple Federal Support Levels

The approval acceleration is not an isolated event but a direct reflection of the U.S. federal government's recent密集出台 nucleer energy policies.

The NRC's accelerated review process aligns with the streamlined permit procedure target required by the executive order issued in May 2025. At the same time, the Accelerating the Deployment of Advanced Nuclear Energy Clean Energy Act (ADVANCE Act) also explicitly demands a more efficient path for the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.

Jacob DeWitte stated in the declaration, "Performance-based permit mechanisms, clear standards, and efficient reviews are crucial for safely and responsibly advancing modern nuclear energy projects." The combination of policies mentioned indicates that the support from the U.S. federal level for nuclear energy innovation is continuously strengthening.

Oklo is an advanced nuclear technology company specializing in the development of fast-fission nuclear power plants, with its business covering three main directions: clean energy supply, the construction of a domestic supply chain for critical isotopes in the United States, and the recycling of nuclear fuel cycles.

The company has previously become the first enterprise to receive a commercial advanced fission power plant site use permit from the U.S. Department of Energy and has obtained fuel authorization from the Idaho National Laboratory, while also submitting the first customized combined permit application for an advanced reactor to the NRC. Currently, Oklo is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy and national laboratories to advance the development of advanced fuel cycle technologies.

The approval of this PDC special report is a key step for the Aurora nuclear power plant to move from construction to commercial operation and has also accumulated an important regulatory first-mover advantage for Oklo in the competition of advanced nuclear energy commercialization.