US’ nuclear firm gets safety design approval for isotope reactor initiative 

California-based nuclear company Oklo Inc. has achieved a significant milestone by receiving approval from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a Nuclear Safety Design Agreement (NSDA) related to its Groves Isotopes Test Reactor. This approval allows Oklo, through its subsidiary Atomic Alchemy, to proceed with detailed safety design work under the DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program (RPP), marking a transition from early planning to advanced technical development. The Groves Isotopes Test Reactor differs from traditional nuclear plants as it focuses on producing vital radioisotopes used in medical imaging, cancer therapies, scientific research, and national security, rather than electricity generation. The NSDA approval is a critical step in the DOE’s RPP authorization pathway, which aims to accelerate the deployment of innovative nuclear technologies and expand U.S. industrial capacity. Following this approval, Oklo will submit its Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis (PDSA) for DOE review, further refining the reactor’s safety framework—a prerequisite