Vertiv deal: This collaboration covers the development of new data center cooling methods. Vertiv is a provider of critical digital infrastructure and services, including data center cooling systems that could be powered by heat from an Oklo reactor.
The companies envision modular, hyperscale data centers supplied with Vertiv technology and powered with co-located Oklo power plants—ultimately increasing cooling capacity and energy efficiency while simultaneously slashing emissions.
The next step for this partnership will be creating the design for such sites. According to Jacob DeWitte, cofounder and CEO of Oklo, the plant concept “leverages proven, off-the-shelf components without altering the core design” of the Aurora powerhouse.
Liberty deal: This announcement describes a departure from more conventional collaborations in the nuclear sector. Liberty Energy, an early supporter of Oklo that committed $10 million in 2023, is an energy services company that supports oil, natural gas, and hydraulic fracturing development.
The partnership looks to meet the energy needs of large-scale, high-demand customers, including data centers and industrial facilities, through a two-phase process. First, Liberty will deploy natural gas plants to meet immediate demand. Later, as Aurora powerhouses come on line, the companies will integrate them into Liberty-managed systems.
According to the companies, this alliance gives a realistic pathway to future nuclear deployment. DeWitte said the collaboration “gives large-scale power users a turnkey alternative that integrates generation, backup, grid interaction, and optimization, all through a single provider.”
Aurora background: The Aurora powerhouse is a liquid metal–cooled, metal-fueled fast reactor with a maximum power level of 75 MWe. According to Oklo, the design is able to run 10 years without refueling. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is currently engaged in preapplication activities for the reactor. The first commercial Aurora powerhouse is slated to be built at Idaho National Laboratory. Oklo expects preconstruction activities to launch this year and aims for commercial operation by late 2027 or early 2028.
