# Texas test reactor reaches criticality for medical isotope project 2026-08-15T09:51:17+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Oklo’s Groves Isotope Test Reactor in Lockhart, Texas, achieved first criticality on August 5, 2026, according to The Times of India. The low-power reactor sustained a controlled nuclear chain reaction but was not designed to generate electricity or produce isotopes yet. The project aims to support future US production of molybdenum-99, which produces technetium-99m used in medical scans. Groves reached the milestone under the US Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program, less than a year after construction began, the report said. It became the fifth reactor to meet the programme’s target and the first built from scratch on privately owned land. Oklo plans a larger isotope facility at Idaho National Laboratory, but that project still requires separate Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval and has no confirmed production date. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: Oklo, Texas, US Department of Energy Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/texas-test-reactor-reaches-criticality-for-medical-isotope-project/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/texas-test-reactor-reaches-criticality-for-medical-isotope-project/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.