Oklo and X-Energy race to power AI data centers with nuclear reactors. Oklo targets 2028 start-up; X-Energy is still in licensing.
Oklo looks set to produce power first.
X-Energy may scale faster later.
What happened
Oklo and X-Energy are racing to put their first nuclear reactors into service to power AI data centers. Oklo broke ground on its Aurora-INL site in Idaho Falls in September 2025 and targets a 2028 start-up.
Why it matters
A typical 100-megawatt data center uses as much power as about 80,000 U.S. homes, making new capacity critical. Oklo is in the DOE's Reactor Pilot Program, which streamlines licensing, while X-Energy is on the standard NRC path—slower but leading to a full commercial operating license.
What to watch
Oklo appears better positioned to reach power generation first, while X-Energy may have the edge in scaling to a fleet. By December 2028, an estimated 2,441 data centers are expected to be online, and the author favors Oklo for its revenue and operational data head start.
Ask the AI about this article →
The race between Oklo and X-Energy highlights a bottleneck for AI growth: electricity. Data centers need massive power, and nuclear reactors offer a steady, carbon-free source. Oklo's advantage is its pilot program status, which fast-tracks licensing and testing, allowing it to break ground and target 2028. This gives it a concrete timeline and potential early revenue.
X-Energy's path through standard NRC licensing is slower but yields a full commercial operating license, which could ease scaling to multiple reactors. While Oklo might win the first-mover race, X-Energy's approach could be better for building a fleet to meet the huge demand from thousands of data centers expected by 2028.
The author's preference for Oklo stems from the immediate revenue and operational experience a working reactor provides, which can be reinvested into faster future deployments. However, the final outcome remains uncertain until both companies reach their milestones.
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