How a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens at Oklo plan to energize the future
“Being a California company, we will frequently tell the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff that we might wear jeans to our meetings– and now half of us are probably wearing loungewear”, said Oklo’s co-founder and COO, Caroline Cochran. On April 14, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission held an online public meeting with Oklo. To partake in the public meeting in the comfort of your own home feels quite different from being in Washington with the team. While remote meetings are a welcome and necessary adjustment due to the coronavirus, the experience is not how we envisioned when announcing the acceptance of our combined license application last month. Fortunately, with reliable energy, Oklo can continue to power through with little to no disruption. And while there were limited disruptions, the Oklo team wishes to acknowledge that always-on, affordable, clean energy is not the reality for many. Our team is working to change that.
As we face this global pandemic, there is an increasing reliance on energy and, regrettably, many living without reliable power. During this unique time frame, Oklo is fueled with greater purpose and determination to deliver reliable, affordable, and zero emission power. Although we did not expect our combined license application to be accepted for review during a pandemic, we are designing products that could respond to our ever-evolving world.
Oklo’s products are designed to deliver always-on, affordable, clean power. This concept is now more essential than ever, given the current reliance on reliable energy for hospitals, households, and essential businesses. The unique features of our powerhouses include: 20 years of operating life without refueling, no human operators required for refueling or shut down, and safety systems that rely on natural forces rather than human action to ensure safety. During a crisis when many human activities are paused, the powerhouses can continue to operate with no interruptions to keep powering and supporting its communities.
Populations living with unreliable energy, such as rural Alaska, are paying higher energy prices compared to on-grid communities. Alaskans rely mainly on emission-intensive diesel generators, which can be unreliable and costly due to shipment and storage. High energy costs are not the only challenge; Alaskans also face the very real impacts of climate change affecting their hunting-subsistence. What have been — and what could be — the potential impacts of unreliable energy and pandemics across the globe? As potential unemployment increases, community members could be forced to choose between paying for power and paying for essential items. Affordable, reliable energy can be a shared privilege!
Oklo team members are united by the humanitarian drive for affordable, clean energy generation sources to lessen the social and environmental impacts of climate change. How do we plan to deliver reliable and affordable clean power in remote areas? It comes down to the compact size of our products. Take our first product the Aurora, for example- it produces 1.5-megawatt electric, which can power a small community of about 1000 households. By starting up small, our powerhouses will allow communities that depend on diesel in off-grid areas to significantly reduce energy costs. Oklo’s initial model will establish a method for regulatory, supply chain, and managing cost aspects. Ultimately, Oklo will become more cost efficient as we look into developing next generation advanced models.
For many of us, our new normal is with our often forgotten, reliable energy — and maybe even loungewear. It is important to consider that there are populations who may be experiencing this pandemic without the benefits of reliable energy. The team at Oklo is determined to continue to develop and share its advanced technology with a variety of communities. Is there a better time than now?
