Oklo CEO Claims U.S. Spent Nuclear Fuel Holds Energy Equivalent to Five Times Saudi Arabia's Oil Reserves
Oklo (NYSE: OKLO) is proposing a bold plan to recycle spent nuclear fuel in the United States, claiming it contains energy equivalent to 1.3 trillion barrels of oil—five times Saudi Arabia’s estimated reserves. The company plans to build a $1.68 billion advanced fuel center by 2025 that will recover usable material from used nuclear fuel and fabricate new reactor fuel. This process could reduce waste volume, shorten the half-life of radioactive materials, and support clean energy production. The U.S. currently uses a once-through nuclear fuel cycle where spent fuel is stored as waste after use in conventional reactors. Oklo’s CEO Jacob DeWitte argues that recycling this material can turn it into gigawatts while reducing costs and enhancing the country's secure supply chain for clean power. The proposal aligns with ESG goals by improving efficiency, safety, and environmental impact. However, challenges remain: construction has not yet begun on Oklo’s fuel recycling plant, which is expected to start producing metal fuel in the early 2030s. Additionally, regulatory hurdles persist for both the Aurora reactor project and broader nuclear initiatives.
Tickers: $OKLO
Topics: energy reserves nuclear fuel recycling Oklo spent nuclear fuel