FERC Rejects Oklo’s Bid to Rejoin PJM’s Interconnection Queue in Virginia

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday rejected a complaint from advanced-nuclear developer Oklo that sought to reverse PJM Interconnection’s decision to drop a 750 MW mixed-technology project in Virginia from its current interconnection study cycle. FERC found that Oklo had not shown PJM violated its own rules when it withdrew the project in early August, and that the company had failed to resolve application flaws that PJM staff had already identified.

What was at stake

The Virginia project combines 150 MW of advanced nuclear generation — Oklo’s core technology — with 300 MW of fuel cells and 300 MW of gas-fired generation, according to the company’s complaint. Oklo told regulators that missing the current PJM study cycle would delay the project by at least 18 months, a significant setback in a region where data center operators are competing aggressively for grid capacity and interconnection slots. PJM removed the project from its queue after determining Oklo’s application did not meet the grid operator’s requirements.

FERC’s reasoning

In its order, FERC said Oklo did not demonstrate that PJM had acted outside its tariff rules in withdrawing the project, and noted that the company still had not addressed the deficiencies PJM staff flagged before the withdrawal. The commission did leave Oklo a path forward: the company can correct the errors in its interconnection application and resubmit the project for PJM’s next study cycle, though that would reset the project’s place in the queue.

A symptom of PJM’s interconnection backlog

The ruling lands amid a broader capacity crunch across PJM, the largest US grid operator, where a years-long backlog of interconnection requests has become a flashpoint as data center and AI-driven power demand accelerates. Advanced nuclear developers such as Oklo have positioned themselves as a fast-deployable option for utilities and hyperscalers seeking firm, carbon-free power, but this case shows that new entrants remain subject to the same procedural rigor — and the same queue delays — as conventional generation projects. For Oklo, the setback means restarting a process that, even on a corrected timeline, keeps its 150 MW Aurora powerhouse component in Virginia years away from an interconnection agreement.

Sources

• Utility Dive, “FERC rejects Oklo complaint seeking to reinstate project to PJM’s interconnection study cycle,” September 25, 2026
• RTO Insider, “Oklo Files FERC Complaint After PJM Removes Project from Interconnection Queue,” 2026

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Illustrative image. Photo: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — source