Nuclear reactor venture kicks off between Kairos Power and Tennessee Valley Authority - the first to feature advanced technology
In a significant stride towards the future of advanced energy technologies, Kairos Power's Hermes 2 Plant is being deployed in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This project aims to catalyse the next generation of nuclear innovation in the state.
The Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant is set to re-establish Oak Ridge as a nuclear innovation hub, contributing to the expansion of economic opportunities in the region. The project will see multiple deployments of Kairos Power's small modular reactor, with operations scheduled to begin in 2030.
A long-term collaboration between Kairos Power and an unspecified entity was initiated last October, with the goal of unlocking up to 500 MW of nuclear power for the U.S. electricity system. In the initial phase of this collaboration, clean energy attributes from the Hermes 2 plant will be procured by an unspecified entity through TVA to help power data centers in the region with locally sourced clean energy.
The deployment of the Hermes 2 Plant is being facilitated by a new power purchase agreement (PPA) between Kairos Power and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Under this agreement, TVA will purchase electricity from the Hermes 2 plant, with the nuclear energy to be used to power data centers in Montgomery County, Tennessee and Jackson County, Alabama.
Since 2015, there has been close collaboration between Kairos Power and TVA to bring clean energy technologies to the Tennessee Valley. This project marks a decade of business growth in the Tennessee Valley for Kairos Power.
Notably, this is the first purchase of electricity from an advanced GEN IV reactor by a U.S. utility. The collaboration aims to create a three-party solution where energy customers, utilities, and technology developers work together to advance new technologies for meeting the world's growing energy needs.
New programs developed in partnership with the University of Tennessee and other local universities will grow local workforce talent for high-paying jobs, further cementing Oak Ridge's position as a hub for nuclear innovation.
For more insights into the project, hear from the community members and leaders themselves. This project is set to shape the future of clean energy in the Tennessee Valley and beyond.
