By The Financial District
Dec 15, 20231 min
For the first time in more than 50 years, the US granted permission for a new type of nuclear reactor, signifying regulators' increasing openness to diverse approaches in power production from nuclear fission.
A rendering of the Hermes reactor. I Image: Kairos Power
According to Will Wade's report for Bloomberg News, California startup Kairos Power LLC received a construction permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to build its Hermes reactor in Tennessee.
Unlike current reactors cooled by water, Kairos's technology employs molten fluoride salt as a coolant.
Mike Laufer, Kairos’s CEO, stated that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's regulatory process “doesn’t have to be a roadblock,” emphasizing the potential to license innovative designs.
Kairos aims to commercialize designs that can be factory-built and installed on-site, offering a more cost-effective solution than traditional large reactors.
Construction on the $100 million Hermes project is set to begin next year, with completion expected by late 2026, showcasing the viability of molten salt technology.