Elementl plans Ohio nuclear plant; Oklo, Centrus sign Ohio-centered LOI

Nuclear project developer Elementl Power announced June 18 its plans to build a nuclear power plant in southeast Ohio with a planned capacity of up to 1.5 GW.

Elementl already has a reactor design in mind, having reached an early works agreement with GE Vernova Hitachi to deploy the company's BWRX-300 small modular reactors. According to Elementl, construction on the first unit could begin in 2030-subject to a final investment decision and regulatory approvals-with an anticipated completion date of 2034.

"We're committed to working closely with Letart Township, Meigs County, the state of Ohio, and beyond throughout this process. GE Vernova Hitachi is a proven, global leader in nuclear technology, and we're pleased to partner with them to deploy their advanced BWRX-300 reactor at this site," said Elementl chair and CEO Chris Colbert in a statement. "Nuclear projects are substantial economic anchors for their communities, and with a proud industrial legacy, southeast Ohio brings the foundation and workforce needed for a project of this magnitude."

The plant, as planned, would be situated on a nearly 700-acre property along the Ohio River in Letart Township in Meigs County, Ohio, about 100 miles southeast of Columbus. According to the announcement, Elementl has agreed to purchase the site from American Municipal Power.

As part of the power plant project, Elementl recently filed a request with PJM Interconnection to connect the site to the regional transmission system for the first 600 MW of output. PJM is expected to respond later this year to Elementl's application, according to the announcement.

The plan must still receive regulatory approvals from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Ohio Power Siting Board, and other agencies.

"An investment of that magnitude would bring significant benefits to Meigs County and the area and would help maintain electric reliability in Ohio and the broader region," said American Municipal Power president and CEO Jolene Thompson. "Elementl has a strong team that has been good to work with, and we anticipate that they will be good partners to Meigs County residents and leaders as they work through the development phase."

Elementl's plans: The Ohio power plant project aligns with Elementl's long-term plans to bring more than 10 GW of new nuclear power to the United States by 2035. Founded in 2022 in Greer, S.C., Elementl now operates out of Washington, D.C.

In May 2025, Elementl and Google entered into a strategic agreement to work together on three nuclear project sites. That announcement did not indicate potential locations for the sites, however.

This most recent announcement did not mention either Google or the strategic agreement. However, Elementl's 600-MW interconnection request to PJM an output figure in the 2025 announcement. Google planned to provide early-stage capital to Elementl, with each project generating "at least 600 MW" of capacity, the tech giant said at the time of the announcement.

Elementl was among nearly two dozen companies that expressed interest in New York state's plans to add at least 1 GW of new nuclear power upstate. Additionally, the Tennessee Valley Authority listed Elementl among its partners to deploy SMRs as part of the utility receiving as much as $400 million in federal cost-shared funding from the Department of Energy.

In other Ohio news: Elementl's announcement isn't the only new nuclear development in the state. In its latest update, Oklo announced a signed letter of intent with Centrus that would have the uranium enricher supply domestic HALEU from its Pike County, Ohio, facility to Oklo's proposed 1.2-GW Aurora Powerhouse facility, adjacent to Centrus's facility, for multiple years. According to the announcement, Oklo expects HALEU deliveries to begin in 2029.

This is the latest joint venture between the two companies. In March, Oklo and Centrus agreed to pursue discussions on jointly establishing deconversion services for HALEU and other fuel-cycle technologies at Centrus's Ohio plant.

"The agreement, which anticipates a further definitive contract, brings together domestic fuel supply, planned advanced nuclear power generation, customer demand, and project execution in southern Ohio while strengthening fuel certainty for Oklo's planned Aurora Powerhouse deployments at a time when access to domestically sourced HALEU remains one of the central constraints facing the advanced nuclear sector," Centrus said in a news release.

Pending the agreement, prepayments could be involved from Oklo to Centrus to support fuel supply, Centrus said. This mirrors Meta's January agreement with Oklo, which includes prepayments from Meta to advance Oklo's project. Centrus, meanwhile, plans to leverage billions in private capital and the $900 million HALEU order from the Department of Energy.