Oklo Inc., an advanced nuclear technology company, announced on July 15, 2025, that it selected Kiewit Nuclear Solutions Co. as the lead constructor for its first commercial Aurora powerhouse in Idaho, at Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
Under a newly executed Master Services Agreement, Kiewit Nuclear Solutions Co., a subsidiary of Kiewit Corp., will begin to support the design, procurement and construction of the Aurora-INL, with pre-construction expected in 2025 and commercial operations targeted for late 2027 to early 2028.
The Aurora-INL represents a milestone in Oklo's near-term commercialization strategy to deliver energy using nuclear technology. A project cost wasn't disclosed.
Oklo selected Kiewit through a competitive process that evaluated both technical capabilities and construction expertise. Because a significant portion of the Aurora powerhouse's construction scope is non-nuclear, Oklo can leverage Kiewit's extensive experience in delivering large-scale industrial and infrastructure projects.
This approach is designed to accelerate delivery timelines, reduce costs and uphold standards of safety and quality, underscoring Oklo's commitment to the efficient, pragmatic deployment of advanced nuclear technology.
"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."
Oklo is positioned to deploy advanced nuclear technology in the near term, with a U.S. Department of Energy-approved site, secured fuel and demonstrated regulatory progress that support its ability to advance toward commercial operation.
"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 is a key part of Oklo's broader deployment pipeline, which includes agreements to supply more than 14 GW of clean energy to commercial customers and U.S. government partners.
For details, visit oklo.com.
