Aalo Atomics, the company building sodium-cooled, extra modular nuclear reactors (XMRs) to power modern AI data centers, has signed a fuel fabrication contract with Global Nuclear Fuel, GNF, a GE Vernova-led alliance with Hitachi, Ltd. and affiliate of GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, bringing it one step closer to becoming the first U.S. nuclear reactor company to build and operate an advanced reactor powering an experimental data center. Through the contract, GNF plans to deliver fabricated fuel rods to Aalo in early 2026. These fuel rods will power Aalo-X, the first advanced reactor expected to be built in the U.S. in over a generation.

The Aalo-designed fuel rods, fabricated by GNF, are fundamental to Aalo-X achieving criticality in 2026. GNF is expected to provide Aalo with uranium dioxide (UO2) fuel rods fabricated from low enriched uranium (LEU) to be assembled into final fuel assemblies for Aalo-X.

“GNF comes to the table with decades of proven fuel fabrication experience, and with GNF’s help, we believe that we can power up data centers in months, not decades, and grow our factory output to exceed gigawatt-levels,” said Yasir Arafat, CTO, Aalo Atomics.

“We are excited to support Aalo in its mission to achieve criticality of Aalo-X in 2026 and beyond,” said Sarah Ortman, Product Director for Advanced Nuclear Fuels, GNF. “Building on decades of experience supplying fuel to the global BWR fleet, GNF brings proven manufacturing excellence, rigorous quality programs, and a highly skilled workforce. Our flexible facilities and expertise position us to reliably deliver both today’s BWR fuel and advanced fuel products needed to advance other innovative designs in support of the nation’s nuclear industry.”

In the past few months, Aalo has secured official site allocation from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID) for the Aalo-X experimental reactor, broken ground at the INL test site and erected its critical facility, completed Preliminary and Final Design Reviews involving over 40 experts, and received an Environmental Assessment Determination from the DOE, which expedites the environmental review process.

About Aalo Atomics

Aalo Atomics, based in Austin, Texas, builds nuclear reactors to power modern AI data centers. Founded in 2023, Aalo has secured over $136M in funding to-date from multiple investors including Valor Equity Partners, 50Y, Fine Structure Ventures, Hitachi Ventures, NRG Energy, Vamos Ventures, Tishman Speyer, Kindred Ventures, Harpoon Ventures, Crescent Enterprises, Crosscut, Alumni Ventures, MCJ, Gaingels, and Nucleation Capital, among others. To learn more, visit www.aalo.com.

About Global Nuclear Fuel

GE Vernova’s Nuclear fuel business, Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF), is a world-leading supplier of boiling water reactor fuel and fuel-related engineering services. GNF is a GE Vernova-led alliance with Hitachi, Ltd. and operates primarily through Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas, LLC in Wilmington, N.C., and Global Nuclear Fuel-Japan Co., Ltd. in Kurihama, Japan. GNF affiliate GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) is a world-leading provider of nuclear reactor services and advanced nuclear reactor designs and operates primarily through GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, in Wilmington, NC. HITACHI is a trademark of Hitachi, Ltd. used under trademark license. GE is a trademark of General Electric Company used under trademark license.

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"The Aalo designed fuel rods, fabricated by GNF, are fundamental to Aalo-X achieving criticality in 2026."