Nuclear Regulatory Commission approves construction permits for Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant
Hermes 2 is now the first electricity-producing Gen IV plant to be approved for construction in the U.S.
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.
As part of Kairos Power’s 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 Commission’s 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 Power’s 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 Power’s commercial deployments.
The Commission’s approval of the Hermes 2 construction permits follows the NRC staff’s thorough review of Kairos Power’s application, which was completed on an accelerated schedule of just over one year. The rapid review and approval timeline was made possible by Kairos Power’s extensive pre-application engagement with the NRC dating back to 2018, along with numerous process improvements piloted by the first Hermes CPA and the NRC’s 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.
“The Commission’s approval of the Hermes 2 construction permits marks an important step toward delivering clean electricity from advanced reactors to support decarbonization,” said Mike Laufer, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder. “We are proud to lead the industry in advanced reactor licensing and look forward to continued collaboration with the NRC as we chart a path forward with future applications.”
Like what you've read?
Forward to a friend!