Oklo Accelerates Aurora SMR Deployment with Nuclear-Backed Infrastructure Alliances Poised to Transform Data Center Power

In a coordinated wave of announcements, July 2025 marks a decisive pivot for Oklo as it moves its Aurora Powerhouse small modular reactor (SMR) from visionary concept to near-term reality. The company’s integrated momentum across licensing, construction, and commercial partnerships underscores its transition from development-stage innovator to first-mover in next-generation nuclear deployment.

Strategic alliances with infrastructure leaders Vertiv and Liberty Energy reveal a clear market play: providing clean, high-availability energy solutions designed for hyperscale, colocation, and industrial-scale users.

Meanwhile, the successful completion of a key NRC readiness assessment and the selection of Kiewit as lead constructor for the inaugural Aurora plant at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) indicate a strong glide path toward commissioning by late 2027 or early 2028.

Major execution risks remain, including regulatory pacing, supply chain timing, and demonstration outcomes, but the foundational pieces for commercial deployment are now publicly locked into place.

Oklo & Vertiv: Delivering Power and Cooling for High-Density Data Centers

On July 22, 2025, Oklo and Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) announced a strategic collaboration to co-develop integrated power and thermal management systems tailored to the needs of hyperscale and colocation data centers.

Under the agreement, Oklo will provide both electricity and high-temperature steam from its Aurora fast fission reactor, while Vertiv contributes its advanced portfolio of digital infrastructure and cooling systems. The goal: to tightly couple power generation with thermal management by leveraging reactor heat in Vertiv’s absorption chillers and thermal loops, significantly improving energy efficiency and sustainability.

At the core of the partnership is a joint plan to deliver end-to-end reference design packages as blueprints for future-ready data centers that integrate Oklo’s nuclear powerhouses directly into the facility infrastructure. These designs capitalize on Oklo’s distinctive role not only as developer but as owner and operator of its power plants, enabling deeper coordination between energy supply and digital infrastructure from day one.

The collaboration reflects a broader shift in data center design thinking: integrating clean baseload energy sources like advanced nuclear directly adjacent to compute loads to reduce dependence on strained regional grids and eliminate diesel-based backup. By embedding thermal and power systems into the site design and controlling the energy source, Oklo and Vertiv aim to simplify deployment, reduce emissions, and deliver a new standard for AI-era energy infrastructure.

Jacob DeWitte, Co-Founder and CEO of Oklo said:

Challenging Traditional Power Models with Integrated Nuclear and Thermal Solutions

By delivering nuclear-powered reference designs built specifically for data center infrastructure, the Oklo–Vertiv collaboration offers a direct challenge to traditional power architectures. These integrated packages aim to replace the conventional model of grid-tied primary power supported by diesel backup with a cleaner, self-sufficient alternative, one that reduces strain on local utilities while eliminating on-site carbon emissions from backup generators.

The approach addresses some of the most pressing constraints facing the data center industry today: limited access to utility-scale power, long interconnection timelines, and mounting pressure to decarbonize operations. By deploying Aurora powerhouses directly adjacent to customer sites and embedding thermal and electrical integration into the early design process, Oklo and Vertiv aim to make clean baseload power scalable and replicable across multiple deployments.

One of the most innovative aspects of the partnership lies in how the Aurora plant’s thermal byproduct is repurposed. Each Aurora unit generates both electricity and high-quality steam. Through co-design with Vertiv, this steam can be directed into absorption chillers and low-temperature thermal loops, powering cooling infrastructure that would otherwise rely on additional electric load.

This integrated design enables a closed-loop thermal ecosystem that not only reduces electrical demand for cooling but also opens the door for near-zero emissions thermal management: a key concern as direct-to-chip and liquid cooling become essential for AI workloads.

A pilot implementation of this concept is planned at Oklo’s first commercial Aurora reactor site, currently under development at Idaho National Laboratory. Slated to come online by late 2027 or early 2028, the INL deployment will serve as a live reference for how advanced nuclear generation can support digital infrastructure at scale. While it's not yet confirmed whether a data center will be co-located at the pilot site, the demonstration will form the basis for future commercial deployments customized to hyperscale and colocation needs.

According to Vertiv CEO Gio Albertazzi:

Hybrid Natural Gas and Nuclear Partnership Paves Path to Zero-Carbon Power

On July 23, 2025, Oklo announced a strategic alliance with Denver-based Liberty Energy to deliver integrated, scalable power solutions tailored for large-scale, high-demand users such as hyperscale data centers and industrial facilities. The partnership is built around a phased energy transition model that enables customers to begin operations with Liberty’s natural gas generation and then seamlessly transition to Oklo’s advanced nuclear power as Aurora reactors come online.

Liberty Energy will provide initial primary power, backup capacity, and flexible grid services through its Forte℠ natural gas generation and intelligent load management platform. This hybrid setup offers immediate, reliable power with the agility to optimize demand and grid interaction. As the Aurora SMRs become operational, Oklo’s zero-carbon nuclear energy will be integrated into the overall power management system, delivering clean baseload energy to complement Liberty’s flexible generation.

The combined offering is designed as a turnkey managed power solution, bundling generation, backup, optimization, and grid services under a single provider umbrella to streamline procurement and operational complexity for large energy consumers. This approach addresses common barriers such as long deployment timelines and the financial risks associated with transitioning to novel energy sources.

Ron Gusek, CEO of Liberty Energy and an early investor in Oklo, emphasized the strategic impact of the alliance:

Liberty Energy’s Forte Platform: Flexible Power for Data Center Resilience

Central to this alliance is Liberty Energy’s Forte platform, a next-generation natural gas power and load management system engineered for the demanding reliability and scalability requirements of modern data centers. Forte provides fast-start, high-efficiency natural gas generation coupled with advanced load balancing and grid interaction capabilities that enable customers to optimize power costs and maintain uptime.

Key features of the Forte platform include:

• Rapid ramp-up and ramp-down times that allow operators to respond instantly to fluctuating power demands, essential for data centers experiencing variable workloads, especially in AI and cloud environments.

• Intelligent load management that integrates with grid signals to reduce costs during peak pricing periods or grid stress events, enhancing operational resilience and economic efficiency.

• Seamless integration with renewable and zero-carbon sources, making it an ideal transitional technology that works alongside Oklo’s advanced nuclear generation to deliver a stable, low-carbon energy mix.

• Backup power and grid services capabilities, providing data centers with critical redundancy and ancillary services such as frequency regulation, voltage support, and demand response participation.

By offering this sophisticated natural gas generation and flexible load management as an on-ramp to zero-carbon nuclear power, Liberty and Oklo provide data center operators with a scalable, reliable, and future-proof energy platform; one designed to evolve in step with the sector’s rapid growth and sustainability targets.

Regulatory Milestone and Construction Partner Set Stage for Commercial Deployment

On July 17, 2025, Oklo announced the successful completion of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) pre-application readiness assessment for Phase 1 of its Combined Construction and Operating License Application (COLA) for the Aurora plant at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The NRC found no significant gaps that would prevent acceptance and offered detailed guidance to refine the application structure, an important step that signals regulatory confidence in Oklo’s approach.

Oklo Co-Founder and CEO DeWitte expressed optimism about the collaborative relationship with the NRC:

Oklo has already advanced through a wide array of pre-application activities critical to reactor licensing, including comprehensive safety analyses, component classification frameworks, operational protocols, and securing NRC approval for its Quality Assurance Program Description. These foundational elements support a streamlined review process and underscore Oklo’s readiness to progress toward full licensing.

The next major step will be submitting the Phase 1 COLA later this year for the Aurora-INL facility. In parallel, Oklo named Kiewit Nuclear Solutions, a subsidiary of Kiewit Corporation and a heavyweight in large-scale industrial megaprojects, as the lead constructor for the Aurora-INL project. Selected through a rigorous competitive process, Kiewit will be responsible for design, procurement, and construction management, with a particular focus on non-nuclear scope that leverages its extensive infrastructure expertise.

Leveraging Industry Expertise for Efficient Project Delivery

Bringing Kiewit on board is a strategic move designed to accelerate construction timelines, control costs, and maintain the rigorous safety and quality standards necessary to build industry and public trust in advanced nuclear deployment.

Pre-construction activities are slated to begin in late 2025, with commercial operations targeted for late 2027 to early 2028. The combination of regulatory progress and experienced construction partnership lays a strong foundation for Oklo’s ambitions to commercialize its Aurora SMR technology on a meaningful timeline.

Mike Rinehart, President of Kiewit Nuclear Solutions, emphasized the company’s commitment:

Toward a New Era of Clean, Reliable Power for Data Centers and Beyond

Oklo’s recent flurry of announcements, from partnerships with Vertiv and Liberty Energy to regulatory milestones and construction agreements, reflects a critical inflection point for advanced nuclear technology as a practical energy solution for hyperscale data centers and other high-demand industries.

By integrating next-generation nuclear reactors directly with cutting-edge power and cooling infrastructure, and by offering transitional hybrid energy models, Oklo and its partners are addressing the most pressing challenges faced by the data center industry: scalability, sustainability, reliability, and grid independence.

The coming years will test Oklo’s ability to execute on its ambitious timeline, navigate complex regulatory landscapes, and demonstrate the commercial viability of its Aurora SMRs. If successful, Oklo’s approach could redefine energy procurement and management for data centers, providing a scalable, zero-carbon alternative that supports the explosive growth of AI, cloud computing, and high-performance workloads.

As the Aurora plant at Idaho National Laboratory prepares for its pilot launch by late 2027 or early 2028, Oklo is positioning itself not just as a nuclear technology company but as a transformative energy partner poised to unlock new possibilities for digital infrastructure and decarbonization.

At Data Center Frontier, we talk the industry talk and walk the industry walk. In that spirit, DCF Staff members may occasionally use AI tools to assist with content. Elements of this article were created with help from OpenAI's GPT4.

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