Advanced nuclear reactors to test on-site processing for critical materials in US

Advanced nuclear firm Oklo is moving forward with plans to build a dedicated isotope production plant, known as Groves-2 Forge. The project will join the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad. This federal initiative is run jointly by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Reactor Innovation Center.

The program aims to speed up the rollout of commercial reactors and domestic fuel cycle technologies. Oklo is one of 12 developers chosen to advance 13 clean-energy projects under the scheme.

The planned facility will focus on producing life-saving medical isotopes, led by lutetium-177. This substance forms the backbone of targeted radiopharmaceuticals, which destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

“Many critical isotopes used in cancer treatment, industrial inspection, scientific research, space exploration and national security are currently supplied through aging or foreign facilities,” said Oklo in a press release.

Addressing the shipping delays

Because medical isotopes decay rapidly, long shipping delays can degrade their therapeutic value before they reach patients. Oklo aims to eliminate these supply risks. Producing the materials closer to domestic clinics will safeguard their potency.

Groves-2 Forge will tackle the problem by consolidating the isotope supply chain. In conventional setups, material must travel between different facilities for distinct stages of processing.

The new plant will combine reactor irradiation directly with specialized “hot-cell” laboratories on a single site. This allows technicians to irradiate target materials, separate the isotopes, purify the final product, and package it for transport under one roof.

Achieved first criticality

The project builds directly on Oklo’s recent success in Texas. In August, the California-based developer achieved “first criticality” at its low-power Groves Isotope Test Reactor. Criticality marks the moment a reactor sustains a controlled, continuous nuclear chain reaction.

Oklo took the test reactor from an empty greenfield site to full operation in less than 12 months. Built under the DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program, it became the first reactor under the scheme to reach criticality on private land. Oklo handled the engineering, procurement, construction, and startup preparations in-house.

Enhancing purification methods

Federal officials praised the rapid turnaround as evidence that advanced nuclear systems can move swiftly through regulatory channels without sacrificing safety.

“Oklo’s experience with the Groves Isotope Test Reactor under DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program demonstrates how private developers can advance nuclear projects forward safely and efficiently under DOE authorization,” said Chimi Zacot, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors.

Oklo plans to use the Groves-2 Forge facility to gather operating data and refine its purification methods. This operational experience will help the firm secure formal commercial licenses as it transitions into full-scale industrial supply.

“Groves showed how quickly a new reactor could be built and brought to criticality through close collaboration between the private sector and DOE,” concluded Oklo co-founder and chief executive Jacob DeWitte. “Groves-2 Forge will build directly on that foundation by adding the capabilities needed to irradiate target materials and process and prepare valuable isotopes.”

Source: https://interestingengineering.com/energy/nuclear-reactors-test-materials-in-us