Overview

• In a letter to President Trump, Sen. Edward Markey said he is concerned Energy Secretary Chris Wright is acting in the interest of Oklo, where Wright previously served on the board.
• Markey cited the administration’s move to permit a private reprocessing facility and to make government-held plutonium available as fuel for advanced reactors.
• The Energy Department stated that Wright resigned from Oklo’s board when he took office, complied with disclosure rules, and never held Oklo stock.
• Reuters reported that about 20 metric tons of plutonium could be offered to industry, and an energy department source said top officials have been in conversations with Oklo about the material.
• Oklo has announced a Tennessee plant as the first phase of a nuclear fuel center costing up to $1.68 billion, while nuclear safety experts warn that reprocessing and plutonium reuse could raise proliferation risks.