Oklo Inc. ( OKLO ) said on Thursday it has completed full-scale testing of a prototype fuel assembly at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.

The work was conducted through the DOE's Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear voucher program, which helps startups advance their reactor designs and confirm performance data.

The project examined how coolant flows through Oklo's ( OKLO ) assembly under varying conditions, measuring factors such as pressure drop and flow distribution.

Also Read: Can Oklo Turn Its Reactor Dream Into Real Profits?

The information will be used to align computer models with physical performance and move the company closer to fuel assembly production.

Oklo ( OKLO ) collaborated with Argonne's thermal-hydraulics team to generate benchmark data for its Aurora microreactor. The results provide guidance on manufacturing parameters and strengthen the company's design-build-test cycle, which aims to lower costs and speed commercialization.

"These full-scale, prototypical tests are vital in moving us from design into production," said Jacob DeWitte, Oklo's ( OKLO ) co-founder and CEO. He said the program delivers practical data that will directly influence the company's fuel assembly design.

The testing milestone comes as Oklo ( OKLO ) navigates scrutiny over past connections with federal energy officials, an issue that continues to factor into policy debates in Washington.

On Wall Street, analyst sentiment remains divided. Goldman Sachs' Brian Lee initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and a $117 price forecast, while Seaport Global's Jeff Campbell cut his rating from Buy to Neutral. In contrast, Wedbush's Daniel Ives reiterated an Outperform and boosted his price forecast to $150 from $80.

Price Action: OKLO ( OKLO ) shares are trading lower by 9.00% to $119.37 at last check Thursday.

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