Kiewit to lead construction of Oklo’s Aurora project at INL

Oklo has selected Kiewit Nuclear Solutions to lead construction of its first commercial Aurora nuclear powerhouse at the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL).

Kiewit Nuclear Solutions., a subsidiary of Kiewit Corporation, will support the design and construction of the Aurora powerhouse at INL under a master services agreement, according to Oklo’s Tuesday press release.

No contract value was not given in the press release.

The Santa Clara, Calif. based advanced nuclear technology company said it chose Omaha-based Kiewit through a competitive process that evaluated technical capabilities and construction expertise.

A large portion of Oklo’s Aurora powerhouse’s construction scope is non-nuclear, so the company can leverage Kiewit’s experience in delivering large-scale industrial and infrastructure projects, Oklo said.

The two companies said the approach was designed to accelerate delivery timelines and reduce costs, while maintaining standards of safety.

Pre-construction of the Aurora powerhouse at INL is expected to begin later this year and commercial operations are targeted for late 2027 to early 2028, Oklo said.

Oklo has already received a site use permit from DOE at INL in December 2019. It also plans to submit its combined licensed application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission later this year.

Oklo’s broader deployment pipeline includes agreements to supply over 14,000 megawatts of power to commercial customers and federal government partners, according to the press release.