FERC Rejects Oklo's Complaint to Reinstate Virginia Nuclear Project in PJM Interconnection Study Cycle
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected a complaint filed by Oklo, an advanced nuclear technology company, which sought to reinstate its 750-megawatt (MW) mixed-technology project in Virginia into PJM Interconnection's current study cycle. Oklo's project, intended to interconnect to the grid at two Dominion Energy substations between Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, includes 150 MW of advanced nuclear generation, 300 MW of fuel cells, and 300 MW of gas-fired generation. PJM Interconnection had withdrawn the project in early August, citing Oklo's failure to resolve identified flaws in its application. FERC concluded that Oklo did not demonstrate PJM violated its rules. The decision by PJM to drop the project is expected to delay its timeline by at least 18 months and increase associated costs for Oklo. Five other similar complaints against PJM are currently pending at FERC from other developers.