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Oklo announced an agreement with Meta Platforms, Inc. (Nasdaq: META) that advances Oklo’s plans to develop a 1.2 GW power campus in Pike County, Ohio, to support Meta’s data centers in the region. The agreement provides a mechanism for Meta to prepay for power and provide funding to advance project certainty for Oklo’s Aurora powerhouse deployment.
Oklo will use the funds to secure nuclear fuel and advance Phase 1 of the project- supporting the development of clean, reliable power in Pike County that can scale up to 1.2 GW. Meta’s commitment enables Oklo to pursue development in southern Ohio. Oklo seeks to develop the project on 206 acres of land in Pike County owned by the company and formerly owned by the Department of Energy. The land purchase was facilitated in part by the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative (SODI), a nonprofit working to reuse the land for regional development.
“Two years ago, Oklo shared its vision to build a new generation of advanced reactors in Ohio. Today, that vision is becoming a reality. We have finalized the purchase of over 200 acres in Pike County and are excited to announce this agreement in support of a multi-year effort with Meta to deliver clean energy and create long-term, high-quality jobs in Ohio,” said Jacob DeWitte, Oklo’s co-founder and CEO. "Meta’s funding commitment in support of early procurement and development activity is a major step in moving advanced nuclear forward.”
The agreement is expected to lay the foundation for constructing multiple Oklo Aurora powerhouses, creating thousands of construction and long-term operations jobs, expanding Ohio’s clean energy workforce, and generating new local and state tax revenues through investment in energy infrastructure.
Pre-construction and site characterization are slated to begin in 2026, with the first phase targeted to come online as early as 2030. The plans for the scalable powerhouse facility are expected to expand incrementally to deliver up to the full target of 1.2 GW by 2034.
Ohio’s location within the PJM interconnection- one of the nation’s largest grid systems- and its strong transmission network position it as a strategic hub for America’s clean energy growth as demand for artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure accelerates.
Oklo’s business model allows large energy users to fund their own generation and add new clean power to the grid supported by private capital investment. The agreement provides Oklo with the commercial support needed to advance the development of power infrastructure to support future data center capacity for Meta. This means that Meta is paying to help add more power to Ohio, which will support a reliable grid for all energy customers in the region. This project will also add local jobs to build and operate the nuclear facilities.
“Our agreement with Oklo enables the development of 1.2 gigawatts of nuclear energy in Southern Ohio, supporting Meta’s operations in the region- including our AI supercluster in New Albany. This project will create jobs, spur local innovation, and advance American leadership in energy technology. By investing in baseload nuclear energy, we’re helping build a resilient and sustainable future for our communities,” said Urvi Parekh, head of global energy, Meta.
The project aligns with the broader redevelopment efforts led by SODI to transform thousands of acres at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant- a symbol of national strength where local families played a key role in America’s national security efforts- into a hub for advanced manufacturing and clean energy.
“The project brings into focus the potential for the transformative impact the redevelopment of this site can have on our energy infrastructure and the reinvigoration of our community,” said Kevin Shoemaker, General Counsel at SODI. “We appreciate our strong partnership with Oklo and look forward to continuing to work with them to bring more jobs and economic opportunity to the region.”
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260109127781/en/Oklo-Meta-Announce-Agreement-in-Support-of-1.2-GW-Nuclear-Energy-Development-in-Southern-Ohio