Oklo wins DOE startup authorization for Groves test reactor

Oklo said on July 23 that the U.S. Department of Energy granted startup authorization for its Groves Isotope Test Reactor in Lockhart, Texas, the final step in the DOE Reactor Pilot Program's authorization process, clearing the facility to bring in fuel, run startup tests, and proceed toward first criticality. The company said Groves went from groundbreaking to startup authorization in just over 10 months, completing engineering, construction, commissioning, personnel training, and DOE readiness reviews across all core requirements. Groves is a low-power test reactor meant to seed Oklo's Atomic Alchemy isotope business, which targets domestic production of isotopes for cancer care, manufacturing, research, and national security.