Kairos Power to build nuclear reactor in Oak Ridge, promises of affordable energy - WATE 6 On Your Side
Kairos Power to build nuclear reactor in Oak Ridge, promises of affordable energy | WATE 6 On Your Side
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WATE)– Kairos Power, a nuclear energy company, has received approval from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to build a demonstration nuclear reactor named “Hermes” in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Kairos Power is a nuclear technology company that commercializes a clean, carbon-free, safe, and affordable energy source. They specialize in the fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor.
This approval is a significant step towards making Kairos Power’s advanced nuclear technology, which promises to deliver clean, safe, and affordable energy, available to the public.
The NRC’s approval for the Hermes reactor came after a thorough review of the company’s application, completed before the scheduled time.
The NRC is also reviewing Kairos Power’s application to build a two-unit demonstration plant called “Hermes 2,” which will provide electricity to the grid and demonstrate the architecture of Kairos Power’s future commercial plants.
The Hermes series of reactors is expected to help Kairos Power reduce risks and achieve cost certainty for its advanced nuclear technology. Lessons learned from the project will be integrated into the company’s future commercial deployments planned for the early 2030s.
Kairos Power has received funding from the Department of Energy to develop, construct, and commission the Hermes reactor. The project is being carried out in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Materion Corporation, and the Electric Power Research Institute.
On December 6, The United States Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm met with Tennessee Valley Authority leadership to welcome the Clinch River Nuclear Site to Oak Ridge. According to Secretary Granholm, the nuclear site can generate 200 gigawatts of nuclear power, which is roughly equivalent to the power output of 100 Hoover Dams.
Kairos Power has also agreed with TVA to provide engineering, operations, and licensing services for the Hermes reactor. This reactor and the Clinch River Nuclear site are part of the United States’ efforts to triple nuclear power by 2030.
For more information on the virtual house, visit kairospower.consultation.ai
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.