Oklo Inc., an advanced reactor developer, and Centrus Energy Corp., a uranium enrichment and nuclear fuel services company, announced Monday they have agreed to pursue a joint venture focused on so‑called “deconversion” services for high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU — the specialized fuel needed for many advanced reactor designs now under development. The work would be based at Centrus’ existing Piketon complex, co-located with its enrichment operations and adjacent to Oklo’s planned 1.2-gigawatt nuclear power campus, positioning the rural site as a hub for both fuel production and power generation.
A bid to ease a looming fuel bottleneck
After uranium is mined and enriched, it must be converted into other chemical forms, such as uranium oxide or uranium metal, before it can be fabricated into fuel assemblies — a step known in the industry as deconversion. The companies say integrating enrichment and deconversion at a single site could streamline that process, cut costs and expand domestic capacity at a time when policymakers and reactor developers warn that HALEU supply is emerging as a critical choke point for the broader rollout of advanced nuclear technology.
“Advanced nuclear energy development requires not only reactors but also reliable fuel-cycle capabilities that support those reactors,” Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte said in a statement, framing the Piketon venture as a way to build “a more efficient fuel-cycle model that operates from the same location.” Centrus President and CEO Amir Vexler said the company is “laying the groundwork to rebuild the U.S. nuclear fuel-cycle capacity” and sees co-located deconversion as key to meeting growing demand from reactor developers and utilities.
Local jobs and a changing site
The joint venture discussions come as Centrus and its partners outline broader expansion plans at the Piketon enrichment plant, where the company has said it intends to add hundreds of jobs as it ramps up HALEU production backed by federal contracts. Activities linked to the new partnership would layer additional fuel-cycle operations onto those enrichment efforts, potentially creating specialized positions in chemistry, engineering, operations and regulatory compliance.
The initiative also dovetails with ongoing redevelopment of the sprawling former Portsmouth gaseous diffusion complex, led by the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative, which has sought to repurpose thousands of acres for manufacturing and clean energy projects. Oklo’s proposed 1.2‑gigawatt power campus — announced in January as part of a deal to supply long-term carbon-free electricity to Meta data centers — would anchor that shift by bringing new-build nuclear power to a site long associated with legacy Cold War-era enrichment.
Federal role and regulatory hurdles
Oklo and Centrus say they plan to coordinate on regulatory approvals and research and development, including joint engagement with U.S. federal agencies to advance rules and infrastructure that would allow enrichment and deconversion services to operate side by side. That likely means working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy on licensing, safety reviews and potential federal support, as Washington looks to reduce dependence on foreign uranium supplies and bolster domestic enrichment capacity.markets.
The two firms also anticipate seeking support from state and local officials for siting the deconversion facilities in Pike County, pitching the project as part of a larger nuclear fuel-cycle buildout that could underpin both grid reliability and national security. While the companies have not yet detailed timelines, capital costs or specific job numbers tied to the joint venture, they argue that getting a deconversion hub in place is essential if dozens of proposed HALEU-fueled reactors — each with its own fuel fabrication needs — are to move from design to deployment over the next decade.
Piketon’s evolving nuclear identity
For Piketon and surrounding Pike County communities, the announcement marks another step in a long-running effort to reinvent a site that once housed one of the country’s largest uranium enrichment plants. Cleanup of the Cold War-era facility remains underway, but local leaders and redevelopment officials have increasingly pointed to advanced manufacturing, hydrogen projects and now advanced nuclear as the pillars of a new energy and industrial corridor along the Scioto River.
If the Oklo–Centrus venture moves forward, southern Ohio could find itself at the center of not only producing next-generation nuclear power, but also solving a technical bottleneck that has worried reactor developers and federal energy planners alike. For a region long defined by its nuclear past, the proposed expansion offers a chance to help shape the industry’s future.