● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 neutral
Kairos Power Secures Up to $100M from Samsung C&T for Google Reactor Project
Key points
- Samsung C&T will invest $70 million equity and provide engineering services.
- The total deal value for Kairos Power is up to $100 million.
- The reactor is a 50-megawatt demonstration unit for Google.
- Kairos Power aims to complete the reactor by 2030.
Samsung C&T's Investment in Kairos Power
Kairos Power announced that Samsung C&T will provide an equity investment of $70 million and in-kind engineering services, totaling up to $100 million. This funding and support are designated for the construction of a 50-megawatt demonstration reactor intended for Google.
Samsung C&T has experience in nuclear reactor construction globally, having built or contributed to approximately a dozen reactors.
Project Timeline and Google Partnership
Kairos Power is working to complete the 50-megawatt demonstration reactor by 2030. This project is part of a larger agreement with Google, signed in late 2024, which tasks Kairos with developing nuclear reactors capable of generating about 0.5 gigawatts of electricity by 2035.
The startup is currently constructing two reactors in Oak Ridge, Tennessee: Hermes 1, a low-power demonstrator, and Hermes 2, its first commercial-scale reactor. Hermes 2's output will contribute the initial 50 megawatts toward the Google deal.
Advanced Reactor Technology
The Hermes 2 reactor will utilize a fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature design, a concept that has not been commercialized previously. This design uses fluoride salts with high boiling points to maintain low pressure levels, reducing the risk of high-pressure blowouts.
Kairos Power is also employing TRISO fuel, which encapsulates uranium seeds in ceramic and carbon layers within billiard ball-sized spheres. This fuel design is intended to prevent meltdowns.
Addressing AI Data Center Energy Needs
Kairos Power is one of several nuclear startups benefiting from increased power demand driven by AI data centers. The partnership with Google and the accelerated timeline for reactor development reflect the urgent need for new energy sources to support this growth.
The involvement of Samsung C&T is expected to assist Kairos in meeting the demanding schedule for subsequent reactors required to fulfill its commitment to Google.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
Kairos Power received an investment and engineering services worth up to $100 million from Samsung C&T to build a 50-megawatt demonstration reactor for Google. This collaboration aims to accelerate the development of nuclear power solutions to meet the increasing energy demands from AI data centers.