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Sam Altman’s Oklo Names Kiewit as Builder for Aurora-INL; Current Target Is 2028

Kiewit Nuclear Solutions will support design, procurement, and construction of Oklo’s Aurora-INL plant. The earlier 2027 expectation has shifted to a current 2028 commercial deployment target.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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Oklo has named Kiewit Nuclear Solutions Co. the lead constructor for Aurora-INL, its planned advanced nuclear plant at Idaho National Laboratory. The headline’s 2027 debut date is outdated: Oklo’s current project page and June 2026 SEC filing target commercial deployment of its first powerhouse in 2028. That is a target, not a guaranteed operating date.

Who is building Sam Altman’s nuclear plant?

Kiewit Nuclear Solutions Co., a subsidiary of Kiewit Corporation, is the lead constructor for Aurora-INL. In a September 22, 2025 announcement, Oklo said Kiewit would support design, procurement, and construction under a Master Services Agreement the company said was announced in July 2025. Oklo’s announcement also reported a groundbreaking ceremony at Idaho National Laboratory. Naming a lead constructor and holding a groundbreaking do not mean the plant is finished or generating electricity.

When is Aurora-INL expected to begin commercial operation?

The schedule has moved. In October 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy said Oklo anticipated a first commercial Aurora deployment in 2027. Oklo’s current Idaho project page instead says construction began in 2025 and targets commercial deployment in 2028; the company’s June 2026 SEC filing also describes 2028 as its ambitious target for deploying its first powerhouse.

Date and source Milestone or schedule statement
October 2024, U.S. Department of Energy Oklo anticipated first commercial Aurora deployment in 2027. DOE announcement
September 2025, Oklo Groundbreaking ceremony for Aurora-INL at Idaho National Laboratory; the release named Kiewit as lead constructor. Oklo announcement
Current Oklo Idaho project page Construction began in 2025; commercial deployment is targeted for 2028. Aurora-INL project page
June 2026, Oklo SEC filing The company describes 2028 as an ambitious target for its first powerhouse deployment. SEC filing

These are different kinds of milestones: a groundbreaking is not commercial deployment. Oklo’s CEO, Jacob DeWitte, said the opportunity “positions us to build our first plant more quickly”; that is the company’s view of the project pathway, not independent confirmation that its schedule will be met.

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What kind of reactor is Aurora-INL?

Oklo describes Aurora-INL as a sodium-cooled fast reactor using metal fuel, drawing on the design and operating heritage of the Experimental Breeder Reactor II, which operated in Idaho from 1964 to 1994. The company’s September 2025 announcement also said it received EBR-II fuel recovered by the Department of Energy and had completed two of four steps toward DOE authorization to fabricate the initial core at its Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility at INL. Those details are company-reported project information; they do not establish commercial performance.

What approvals could affect the schedule?

Oklo says Aurora-INL is being developed on federal land under the DOE Reactor Pilot Program, but it also says future commercial deployment is subject to Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing. The pilot-program pathway should not be read as final commercial permission. In its June 2026 filing, Oklo disclosed uncertainty around obtaining NRC approvals and the consequences if approvals take longer or cost more than expected. It also cited supply-chain, construction, macroeconomic, and design complexities as schedule risks.

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How is Aurora-INL different from Oklo’s other projects?

The 2027 headline date can be especially confusing because Oklo has multiple projects with different purposes, locations, and milestone schedules.

Project Location and purpose Published schedule in Oklo materials
Aurora-INL Idaho National Laboratory; first planned Aurora powerhouse Construction began in 2025; commercial deployment targeted for 2028. Project page
Oklo-Meta campus Pike County, southern Ohio; planned 1.2 GW campus to support Meta data centers Site characterization and pre-construction begin in 2027; construction targeted for late 2028 or early 2029; first phase as early as 2030; full buildout by 2034. Project page
Tennessee Advanced Fuel Center Oak Ridge, Tennessee; fuel recycling and fabrication development Initial construction listed for 2027 and commissioning in 2030, subject to approvals and property transfers. Project page

The Ohio project’s phased campus schedule and Tennessee facility’s commissioning milestone are not dates for the Idaho plant to start generating power.

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