A new reactor just switched on
Breakthrough · The Nuclear Renaissance · Oklo
Oklo's Groves Isotope Test Reactor achieves first criticality in Texas
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What happened
Oklo’s Groves Isotope Test Reactor in Lockhart, Texas achieved first criticality, meaning its nuclear chain reaction became self-sustaining. The U.S. DOE Office of Nuclear Energy confirmed the milestone.
Why it matters
For Oklo, the test shows the reactor design can sustain a controlled chain reaction. That reduces technical uncertainty in its plans for isotope production and advanced fission.
