Updates on OKLO and NNE

Nuclear Energy Insider: May 2025 Updates

OKLO’s Global Ambitions Take Flight

1. Strategic Korean Partnership (May 27):
OKLO signed a landmark agreement with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) to co-develop its 75-MWe Aurora reactor, boosting its stock by 1.9% to $49.71. The collaboration focuses on design verification, supply chain development, and global deployment of Aurora plants, which target data centers and remote industrial sites like Diamondback Energy’s Permian Basin operations.

2. Licensing Milestones:

• Pre-Application Readiness Assessment with the NRC began in March 2025, addressing siting and environmental factors ahead of a formal Combined License Application (COLA) submission later this year.

• Regulatory Tailwinds: The 2024 ADVANCE Act slashes NRC licensing fees by 55% starting October 2025, accelerating OKLO’s path to commercialization.

3. Project Pipeline Surge:
OKLO’s non-binding agreements now exceed 14 GW across 20+ projects, including a 500 MW pre-deal with Equinix. The company aims to operationalize its first Aurora reactor at Idaho National Laboratory by late 2027.

NANO Nuclear Energy (NNE) Charges Ahead

1. Microreactor Dominance:
NNE finalized its acquisition of the KRONOS MMR (stationary) and LOKI MMR (portable) microreactors in January 2025, positioning itself as a leader in the U.S. microreactor race.

2. University Collaboration:

• Partnered with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to build the first U.S. campus research microreactor using KRONOS technology.

• Secured NRC approval for its Fuel Qualification Methodology, a critical step toward construction permits.

3. Upcoming Catalysts:

• Geological characterization and subsurface investigations begin in Q3 2025, paving the way for construction permit applications.

Industry-Wide Momentum

1. SMRs Go Mainstream:
Over 80 small modular reactor (SMR) designs are in development globally, with NuScale, GE Hitachi, and OKLO leading the charge. The U.S. alone anticipates 8 new reactor construction permit applications in 2025.

2. Big Tech Bets on Nuclear:

• Google signed a 500 MW power deal with Kairos Power.

• Amazon spearheaded a $500 million investment in X-energy.

3. Policy Power Plays:

• The White House’s May 25 executive order prioritizes revitalizing the nuclear workforce and repurposing shuttered plants as military microgrid hubs.

• France, Japan, and China are driving global nuclear output, with 29 GW of new capacity expected online by 2026.

The Big Picture

2025 is shaping up to be nuclear energy’s breakout year. OKLO’s regulatory progress and NNE’s microreactor innovations highlight the sector’s shift toward scalable, flexible solutions. With tech giants and governments aligning behind atomic energy, the industry is poised to meet 24/7 power demands from AI data centers, heavy industry, and resilient grids.

Stay tuned for June updates as OKLO’s COLA submission and NNE’s campus reactor break ground!