Firm selected to build commercial energy facility at INL

A Nebraska-based company has been selected to build a facility in Idaho dedicated to producing commercial energy using nuclear technology.

Kiewit Nuclear Solutions Co., of Omaha, was chosen by Oklo, Inc., of Santa Clara, California, to head up construction of Oklo’s first commercial powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory.

Dubbed “Aurora-INL,” pre-construction on the facility is expected to begin this year, with commercial operations slated to begin in late 2027 or early 2028. According to Oklo, the facility “represents a major milestone” in its plan to provide commercial energy that is “clean, reliable and affordable … using proven, advanced nuclear technology.”

Kiewit was selected after a competitive process that looked at construction and technical capabilities, Oklo stated in a release. The company explained that due to a large portion of the facility’s construction being non-nuclear, Kiewit’s experience in building large-scale industrial and infrastructure projects would help accelerate the completion of the project while reducing costs and keeping quality and safety standards high.

“We’ve completed key pre-construction milestones, including site characterization work in Idaho, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and Idaho National Laboratory,” said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo. “Kiewit brings the execution strength and project delivery experience that are essential as we move into this next phase. This is a critical step in helping us build efficiently and deliver clean energy on a meaningful timeline. Advanced reactors will largely be able to be constructed differently than legacy plants, and a key pathway to realizing the economic benefits associated with that is to modernize how we design, procure and build these plants.”

With the support of the DOE, Oklo stated it was able to advance its goal of commercial operation, something Kiewit is situated to support in its construction process.

“We’re excited to support Oklo in delivering one of the nation’s first commercial advanced nuclear projects,” said Mike Rinehart, president of Kiewit Nuclear Solutions Co. “As a leading design engineering, procurement and construction partner with decades of experience in complex energy infrastructure, Kiewit is well positioned to help bring Oklo’s innovative vision to life. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing clean energy solutions through disciplined execution, safety and delivery certainty.”

The Aurora-INL facility will help Oklo meet its agreements to deliver more than 14 gigawatts of clean energy to commercial customers and U.S. government partners, it stated.