The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday rejected Oklo’s complaint seeking to reverse the PJM Interconnection’s decision to drop a 750-MW, mixed technology project in Virginia from its current interconnection study cycle.
Oklo failed to show that PJM violated any of its rules when it withdrew the project in early August from its study cycle, FERC said.
Also, Oklo didn’t resolve flaws in its application identified by PJM staff, FERC noted.
“Although we find that Oklo failed to demonstrate PJM violated its tariff, we note that, in order to meet growing demand in the PJM region, it is critical that PJM collaborate with project developers before, during, and after the interconnection application process to ensure guidance and expectations are clearly understood and properly implemented,” FERC said.
Oklo, an advanced nuclear technology company, can fix the errors in its interconnection application and submit the project to PJM’s next study cycle, FERC noted. Or, if Oklo is committed to moving the project forward quickly, it could submit it for consideration in PJM’s Expedited Interconnection Track process, which is open until Dec. 31, 2027, the agency said.
Oklo’s project would interconnect to the grid at two Dominion Energy substations between Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, according to the company’s complaint. PJM’s decision to drop the project from its pending interconnection study cycle will delay the project by at least 18 months and increase its costs, Oklo said.
The project consists of 150 MW of advanced nuclear generation, 300 MW of fuel cells and 300 MW of gas-fired generation, according to the complaint.
Oklo is working to commercialize metal-fueled fast reactor technology with its Aurora powerhouses, which are designed to produce 15 MW to 75 MW.
Five other complaints are pending at FERC that contend that PJM improperly dropped projects from its current interconnection study cycle.
They were brought by Advantage Capital Renewables, Agilitas Energy, Current Hydro, Lanyard Power Holdings and RWE Americas.
Oklo, based in Santa Clara, California, didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
