Kairos PR: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Approves Construction Permits for Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant [View all]
https://kairospower.com/external_updates/nuclear-regulatory-commission-approves-construction-permits-for-hermes-2-demonstration-plant/Nuclear Regulatory Commission Approves Construction Permits for Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant
Published: November 20, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION APPROVES CONSTRUCTION PERMITS FOR HERMES 2 DEMONSTRATION PLANT
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. November 20, 2024 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has voted to issue construction permits to Kairos Power for the Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant to be built at the Heritage Center Industrial Park in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
As part of Kairos Powers iterative development approach, Hermes 2 will build on learnings from the
Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor, which became the first U.S. Gen IV reactor to receive an NRC construction permit in December 2023. Following the Commissions vote, Hermes 2 is now the first electricity-producing Gen IV plant to be approved for construction in the United States.
The Hermes series represents a major step on Kairos Powers iterative path to commercializing fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology to support the clean energy transition. Hermes 2 will demonstrate complete plant architecture at a reduced scale and supply clean electricity to the grid, further advancing technology, licensing, supply chain, and construction certainty for Kairos Powers commercial deployments.
The Commissions approval of the Hermes 2 construction permits follows the NRC staffs thorough review of Kairos Powers application, which was completed on an accelerated schedule of just over one year. The rapid review and approval timeline was made possible by Kairos Powers extensive pre-application engagement with the NRC dating back to 2018, along with numerous process improvements piloted by the first Hermes CPA and the NRCs new simplified mandatory hearing process. Additional efficiencies were created by the similarities and co-location of the two Hermes iterations, which allowed the Hermes 2 application to leverage work already done for Hermes.
https://www.nrc.gov/cdn/doc-collection-news/2024/24-081.pdf