> At a Glance
> – Meta will pay Oklo up front for reactor fuel
> – Funds support a 1.2-gigawatt site in Pike County, Ohio
> – Deal caps a broader nuclear package that News Of Fort Worth calls the largest U.S. investment in the sector
> – Why it matters: The cash helps Oklo secure high-assay low-enriched uranium amid rising prices and limited domestic supply
Meta has moved from cautious nuclear buyer to industry financier, bankrolling fuel for Oklo’s first commercial reactors.
Tech Giants Split on Nuclear Strategy
While Microsoft struck a 2024 revival deal for Three Mile Island and backed fusion firm Helion, and Amazon bought into X-energy, Google blended old and new by restarting an Iowa plant and funding Kairos Power. Meta limited itself to buying power from an existing Illinois reactor-until now.
Inside the Oklo Agreement
The social-media giant will provide up-front cash specifically for reactor fuel, letting Oklo:
- Advance its 1.2 GW Pike County campus
- Lock in high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU)
- Avoid reliance on Russian or Chinese suppliers
Oklo CEO Jake DeWitte told News Of Fort Worth:
> “This is one of the biggest commitments from a hyperscaler into the nuclear side that we’ve seen. It’s a huge validator.”
Fuel Puzzle Solved, Hurdles Remain
Oklo already scavenged U.S. government HALEU stockpiles and is pursuing Cold-War plutonium for its sodium-cooled design. Still, the company:
- Has zero revenue to date
- Has not yet resubmitted its Nuclear Regulatory Commission application after a 2022 rejection
- Faces skepticism from a former NRC reviewer who called it “the worst applicant” the agency has seen
Broader Nuclear Push
The fuel deal joins separate arrangements with utility Vistra and Bill Gates-backed TerraPower. Advocacy group Third Way labels the combined package the largest private nuclear investment in U.S. history.
Third Way’s Josh Freed stated:
> “We need a lot more private sector investment to keep reactors operating and deploy and commercialize advanced nuclear at scale.”
Key Takeaways
- Meta becomes the first hyperscaler to pay directly for reactor fuel
- The move secures carbon-free power for Meta’s Ohio data centers
- Oklo gains vital funding as domestic HALEU prices climb
- The startup must still clear regulatory review and prove its untested design
Should the plant reach operation, Meta’s early fuel financing could become a template for other tech giants hunting for 24/7 clean electricity.
