Ruth Porat, President & Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet & Google, speaks during the Reuters NEXT conference, in New York City, U.S., December 10, 2024.HOUSTON — Alphabet is aiming to slash the cost of building new nuclear reactors by deploying a series of small reactors through its deal with developer Kairos Power, the tech company's Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat said on Monday."Nuclear has to be a part of the mix given the qualities of it," Porat said at the CERAWeek by S&P Global energy confere ...

Company Overview - Steady Energy, a Finnish innovator in small modular reactor (SMR) technology, has secured €22 million in funding, marking a significant milestone in its development [2][3] - The company is set to begin construction of a full-scale pilot plant in the second half of 2025, positioning itself as a leader in the race for the world's first commercial SMR [3] Investment Details - The funding round was led by 92 Ventures, a Copenhagen-based investment firm focused on nuclear energy, highlighting strong private-sector confidence in Steady Energy's technology [2][5] - Lifeline Ventures, an early investor in Steady Energy, also participated in this funding round, emphasizing the attractiveness of the company's reactor technology [6] Technology and Market Potential - Steady Energy's LDR-50 reactor is designed to provide affordable, zero-emission heat, targeting the district heating market, which currently relies heavily on fossil fuels [7] - The reactor can deliver heat at a cost below €40/MWh, making it more affordable than bioenergy, conventional nuclear, and fossil fuels [7] - The technology is based on advanced research from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, ensuring high efficiency and a near-100% emission-free operation [6][7] Strategic Vision - The CEO of Steady Energy, Tommi Nyman, stated that the technology allows utilities to reduce CO2 emissions more effectively and with better returns compared to traditional nuclear plants [4] - 92 Ventures' CEO, Anatol Kjær Knudsen, emphasized the potential for nuclear energy to play a transformative role in deep decarbonization, particularly in district heating and industrial applications [5]

Core Viewpoint - Oklo Inc experienced a significant stock market fluctuation, dropping 13.37% before rebounding with a 12.65% increase following its announcement of participation in the U.S. Department of Energy's Voucher Program [1][2]. Group 1: Company Developments - Oklo's participation in the DOE Voucher Program will support the evaluation and testing of advanced structural materials for its Aurora powerhouse, enhancing scalability, supply chains, and manufacturing [2]. - The collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory is expected to refine fast reactor technologies, enabling Oklo to provide scalable and cost-effective clean energy solutions [3]. - The company has a pipeline of 14 gigawatts of announced customers and partners, positioning it to meet growing energy demands across various applications [3]. Group 2: Market Performance - Despite being 36.09% below its 2025 price target of $55.49, Oklo's stock remains 65.82% up year-to-date and has increased by 316.62% over the last 12 months [8]. - The stock's performance reflects a bullish sentiment, bolstered by the company's strategic partnerships and management setup, including the involvement of Sam Altman from OpenAI [6][7]. Group 3: Strategic Context - The anticipated support from the DOE has been in the works, as indicated by a previous press release regarding a board member's departure to a government position [5]. - The overall energy strategy under the Trump administration and significant investments in AI infrastructure suggest a favorable environment for Oklo's business expansion [7].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the full year 2024, the company achieved $442 million in revenue, a year-over-year increase of nearly 40% compared to 2023, which was $321.2 million [23][24] - The gross profit for 2024 was $111.5 million, slightly down from $112.1 million in the prior year [24][26] - Net income for 2024 was $73.2 million, compared to $84.4 million in 2023 [23][24] - The company ended the year with an unrestricted cash balance of $671.4 million, bolstered by strategic initiatives and capital raises [28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) segment generated $349.9 million in revenue, an increase of $80.9 million compared to 2023, driven by growth in uranium and Separative Work Unit (SWU) revenue [24][26] - The Technical Solutions segment reported $92.1 million in revenue, an increase of $40.9 million compared to the previous year, with a gross profit of $17.6 million, up by $10.6 million [26][27] - The cost of sales in the LEU segment increased from $163.9 million in 2023 to $256 million in 2024, primarily due to higher average SWU and uranium costs [25][26] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company’s total backlog reached $3.7 billion, with the LEU segment backlog at approximately $2.8 billion, including $800 million of future SWU and uranium deliveries [27] - The Technical Solutions segment backlog was approximately $900 million, which includes funded amounts, unfunded amounts, and unexercised options [27] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to restore America's ability to enrich uranium, focusing on domestic production to meet energy and national security needs [6][13] - Recent contract awards from the Department of Energy (DOE) are expected to support the restart of American uranium enrichment, reducing dependence on foreign sources [11][12] - The company is investing $60 million to resume centrifuge manufacturing and expand capacity at its Oak Ridge facility, reinforcing its first mover advantage [18][28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the future, citing bipartisan support for nuclear energy and significant federal investments in domestic nuclear fuel production [30][33] - The company is positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for enriched uranium, especially with the upcoming ban on imports from Russia starting in 2028 [19][20] - Management emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships to support domestic enrichment capabilities and job creation [16][32] Other Important Information - The company has secured approximately $2 billion in customer contingent LEU sales commitments, indicating strong market demand [21] - The company has received approval for $62.4 million in investment tax credits for its manufacturing facility, contingent on meeting certain requirements [29] Q&A Session Summary Question: Follow-up on DOE contracts and task orders - Management indicated that while there is forward movement on task orders, they cannot speculate on timing [35][36] Question: Details on the $60 million investment - The investment is aimed at readiness and preparation for upcoming task orders, ensuring the company can respond quickly [39][40] Question: High uranium sales in Q4 - The high revenue was attributed to taking advantage of market opportunities rather than selling inventory [46] Question: Timeline for the first commercial cascade - The $60 million investment officially starts the 42-month timeline for bringing on the first commercial cascade [51] Question: Investment tax credit details - The company explained that the investment tax credit can be realized over approximately four years, contingent on meeting specific conditions [57]