Breaking Barriers: Kairos Power's Revolutionary Nuclear Reactor Approved After 50-Year Hiatus

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A seismic shift in nuclear energy as the US grants approval for a new reactor design, breaking a 50-year hiatus in authorizing novel nuclear technologies.

California-based startup Kairos Power celebrates a milestone: receiving a construction permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for its Hermes demonstration reactor in Tennessee.

In a paradigm shift, Kairos employs molten fluoride salt as a coolant, departing from the conventional water-cooled reactors prevalent for decades.

The regulatory landscape appears more receptive to diverse nuclear approaches, marking a pivotal moment for innovation in the fight against climate change.

Global interest in nuclear power surges, with Kairos spearheading the charge to streamline the deployment of cleaner and more efficient reactors.

Mike Laufer, Kairos's CEO, emphasizes the regulatory process need not be a roadblock, offering hope for accelerated approval of transformative technologies.

Kairos embraces a factory-built, on-site installation approach, aiming for speed and cost-effectiveness, challenging the sluggish pace of conventional reactor construction.

A $100 million project, Hermes, sets the stage for Kairos to demonstrate the viability of its design and molten salt technology by the end of 2026.

Molten salts present a safety advantage, remaining liquid at high temperatures and low pressure, a departure from the safety concerns of water-cooled systems.

Hermes, though not an electricity generator, lays the foundation for Hermes 2, anticipating a combined output of about 28 megawatts.

Kairos envisions a scalable future, aiming for reactors with over 100 megawatts of capacity, revolutionizing the affordability and scalability of nuclear energy.