Oklo Inc. and Centrus Energy Corp. announced a partnership to create a joint venture that will provide deconversion services for high‑assay low‑enriched uranium (HALEU) and advance related fuel‑cycle technologies and supply chains. The venture will be located at Centrus’ Piketon site in Pike County, Ohio, adjacent to its enrichment operations and near Oklo’s planned 1.2 GW Aurora power campus. By co‑locating deconversion with enrichment, the collaboration aims to reduce costs, improve fuel‑cycle efficiency, and expand domestic advanced‑reactor fuel capacity.
The joint venture is still in the discussion phase; no definitive ownership structure, capital commitments, or operational timeline have been disclosed. However, the partnership is positioned to address the perceived bottleneck in HALEU supply that has constrained the deployment of advanced reactors in the United States. Centrus has been producing HALEU at Piketon under contract with the Department of Energy, while Oklo is developing its Aurora fast‑reactor line, with the first Aurora‑INL unit slated for operation in late 2027 to early 2028. A reliable domestic HALEU supply is therefore critical to Oklo’s fuel strategy and to the broader U.S. advanced nuclear market.
The venture aligns with recent U.S. government initiatives to strengthen domestic nuclear fuel capabilities, including a $2.7 billion investment announced in January 2026 to expand uranium enrichment capacity. By integrating enrichment and deconversion, the joint venture could streamline the fuel cycle, lower production costs, and enhance the U.S. position relative to foreign HALEU producers such as Russia and China.
Management comments underscore the strategic intent: Oklo’s CEO Jacob DeWitte noted that the partnership “supports deeper discussions with Centrus on potential pathways to expand deconversion capacity, strengthen domestic supply chains, and advance a more efficient fuel‑cycle model that operates from the same location.” Centrus President and CEO Amir Vexler added that the collaboration “lays the groundwork to rebuild the U.S. nuclear fuel‑cycle capacity, including the services needed to support advanced reactor fuels.”
While the announcement does not yet provide financial terms or regulatory approvals, the partnership signals a significant step toward building a domestic fuel‑cycle infrastructure that could benefit Oklo’s Aurora projects and the broader U.S. advanced nuclear market.
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