Google and Kairos create a partnership for the deployment of SMRs
Kairos Power and Google have signed a Master Plant Development Agreement to support the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs), aiming for the first commercial reactor by 2030 and a total capacity of 500 MW by 2035. This collaboration aligns with Google’s goal of achieving 24/7 carbon-free energy and net-zero emissions across its operations.
Google and Kairos Power aim to deploy 500 MW of small modular reactors (SMRs) by 2035.
The agreement involves Kairos Power developing, constructing, and operating a series of advanced reactor plants, supplying clean energy to Google’s data centers. The first deployment is set for 2030, with further iterations supporting ongoing technological advancements and optimization.
Kairos is using a rapid, iterative development model to bring its fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor technology to market. It started construction of its demonstration reactor, Hermes, at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with the goal to become operational by 2027. The next phase includes the two-unit Hermes 2 plant, also planned for Oak Ridge.
This deal marks the first multi-deployment agreement for a single advanced reactor design in the U.S. It allows Kairos Power to leverage Google's support to streamline development, focusing on reducing costs and timelines for commercial deployment. Google, in turn, gains a reliable, carbon-free energy source to complement its renewable energy use.
The partnership supports Google’s 24/7 carbon-free energy and net-zero goals by powering its data centers with nuclear energy
Google's broader strategy includes developing new business models and supporting advanced clean electricity technologies, including nuclear. This partnership with Kairos is part of Google’s efforts to ensure reliable, 24/7 clean energy while meeting the increasing energy demands of AI technologies.
Molten salt reactors (MSRs), like Kairos's KP-FHR, use molten fluoride salts as a coolant at low pressure and employ ceramic TRISO pebble-type fuel. The Hermes demonstration units will have a thermal capacity of 35 MW each, while the commercial KP-FHR is planned as dual-unit plants producing 150 MWe.
Kairos Power will develop its reactor technology using a rapid approach, starting with the Hermes demonstration reactor in Tennessee
Molten salt reactors (MSRs) use molten fluoride salts as a low-pressure coolant. Some designs, like Kairos Power's KP-FHR, use solid fuel, while others dissolve nuclear fuel in the coolant. The KP-FHR utilizes ceramic TRISO pebble-type fuel, with the Hermes and Hermes 2 demonstration plants featuring 35 MW thermal units, collectively producing about 20 MW electric (MWe). Kairos plans to scale this to dual-unit plants, offering 150 MWe in total. MSRs are among the four main types of small modular reactors (SMRs) being developed, characterized by capacities up to 300 MWe and modular, factory-based production for faster construction.
Source: World Nuclear News
