The license application for one of the first advance nuclear designs to undergo federal scrutiny suffered a serious setback today. The regulators announced that they were dismissing the proposal because of a lack of information.
Oklo Inc. failed to provide sufficient information with respect to potential accidents and classification of safety systems and components in the design for its 1.5 megawatt advanced fission power system known as Aurora according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Without the information, the NRC could not make an informed judgement on the merits of the design. This caused the NRC to dismiss the application without prejudice. This allows Oklo to resubmit its application in the future.
Andrea Veil is the director of NRC’s Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. She said, “Oklo’s application continues to contain significant information gaps in its description of Aurora’s potential accidents as well as its classification of safety systems and components. These gaps prevent further review activities.”
The NRC said that there were still information gaps even after Oklo and the NRC tried to work through materials needed to supplement the original proposal which was submitted in March 2020. Oklo also submitted additional information in July and October, but it failed to satisfy NRC questions. Veil said, “We are prepared to re-engage with Oklo if they submit a revised application that provides the information that we need for a thorough and timely review.”
In response, Oklo expressed its disappointment in the setback but still vowed to press forward on this application as well as a series of anticipated proposals it is working on with the NRC. Bonita Chan is an Oklo spokesperson. She said, “We are disappointed and are digesting the information provided, but the bigger picture is that we are eager to continue moving forward on not just this project with the NRC, but also other projects we are already engaged on with the NRC, including other budgeted application submittals.”
The Aurora applications marks the first advanced reactor license request submitted to the NRC with full private funding backing for a commercial project. The company has been in pre-application discussions with regulators since 2016. Much of NRC’s current regulatory review processes covers light-water reactors. However, a wave of expected advanced reactor designs has the commission rethinking how it approaches those reviews.
Chan said, “Our combined license application was the first ever accepted for an advanced plant, so there are many new things for all to learn from and work through to support a successful review, and it provides a foundation from which we can supply additional information and continue work with the NRC.”
When it submitted its application, Oklo said its technology was able to produce “1.5 megawatts of electric power and during its operation can save 1,000,000 tons of carbon emissions over the diesel generator alternative.” The design is capable of producing heat through an advanced fuel, which is then converted to electricity. The reactor should be able to last for decades without having to be refueled. It also has the capability of using nuclear waste as a fuel stock.