After AI data centers drove up electricity demand, tech companies are turning their attention to more stable long-term power sources. Kairos Power, backed by Samsung’s engineering expertise, is advancing its demonstration nuclear reactor project for Google, aiming to complete construction by 2030.
Samsung C&T provides investment and engineering services.
Kairos Power stated on Monday that it has selected Samsung C&T to participate in the construction of a 50-megawatt demonstration reactor. Under the agreement, Samsung C&T will make an equity investment in Kairos and provide engineering services in kind, with the combined value of both contributions reaching up to $100 million.
A spokesperson for Kairos told TechCrunch that the equity investment portion amounts to $70 million. Samsung C&T has previously been involved in the construction of around ten nuclear reactors worldwide, providing important engineering context for this collaboration by Kairos.
Google's project timeline points to 2030.
Kairos is one of the nuclear startups that have benefited in recent years from rising power demands by AI data centers. Google signed a contract with the company as early as fall 2024, aiming to secure approximately 0.5 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2035.
Kairos is currently building two reactors in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. The first, Hermes 1, is a low-power demonstration unit primarily designed to refine the commercial design; the second, Hermes 2, is considered the company’s first commercial-scale project. The power output from the Hermes series will count toward the first 50 megawatts under its agreement with Google.
In November 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved Kairos to construct the aforementioned reactor. The company expects Hermes 2 to begin operations in 2030, consistent with its prior commitment to Google.
The reactor employs a new cooling and fuel system.
Hermes 2 will adopt a fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor design. This approach has been discussed for years but has not yet been implemented at commercial scale. The high boiling point of fluoride salts helps maintain low pressure during operation, reducing the risk of high-pressure failure in the event of component malfunction.
In terms of fuel, Kairos uses TRISO fuel. This fuel encapsulates tiny uranium fuel particles within layers of ceramic and carbon materials, then places them into spherical pellets about the size of billiard balls. This design aims to enhance fuel stability and reduce the risk of core meltdown.
For Kairos, the next five years represent a critical window for the deployment of its first power plant. To fulfill its overall agreement with Google, the company needs to further accelerate the construction of subsequent reactors, and Samsung C&T’s engineering capabilities are seen as vital support during this phase.