FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KAIROS POWER LAUNCHES OPERATOR TRAINING SIMULATOR AT UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE
Simulator-based program will train Hermes reactor operators and provide foundational courses to UT students entering the advanced nuclear industry.
KNOXVILLE, TN – February 26, 2025 – Kairos Power unveiled a new Operator Training Simulator Laboratory in partnership with the University of Tennessee’s Tickle College of Engineering during a ribbon-cutting ceremony today in Knoxville, Tenn. The facility will train reactor operators for Kairos Power’s Hermes low-power demonstration reactor in nearby Oak Ridge, Tenn., and serve as a training hub for University of Tennessee (UT) students entering the advanced nuclear industry.
Leaders from Kairos Power and the University of Tennessee Nuclear Engineering Department celebrate the opening of Kairos Power’s Operator Training Simulator Laboratory in the Zeanah Engineering Complex.
In April 2024, Kairos Power signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the university and gave an endowment to host the facility inside the Zeanah Engineering Complex on UT’s Knoxville campus. The Operator Training Simulator Laboratory will enhance the UT Nuclear Engineering department’s programming by providing a shared asset for students and Kairos Power employees to gain hands-on experience with fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) operations.
Lab workstations feature Kairos Power’s state-of-the-art human-machine interfaces, providing a realistic control room experience. The simulator models KP-FHR dynamics, coupled with real hardware test systems, to provide a rich learning experience using simulated and actual system data. When it’s not being used to train operators, the simulator will be made available to graduate students and postdocs to conduct their own research and model development using Kairos Power’s modeling and simulation code.
Kairos Power will supplement the simulator-based training with introductory courses on nuclear fundamentals open to both Kairos Power employees and university students. The foundational course offerings will provide industry-relevant education for emerging professionals exploring advanced nuclear careers within their respective engineering disciplines.
Operators trained in the program will pass a rigorous examination before they can be licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to operate the Hermes reactor, currently under construction. By leveraging an off-site simulator for operator training, Kairos Power can ensure staff readiness to commission the reactor and enable continued operations throughout its life.
What People Are Saying
“East Tennessee and the Oak Ridge area continue to lead the way to create America’s New Nuclear Future that will power our nation through the 21st Century. Kairos Power’s new Operator Training Simulator Laboratory in partnership with the University of Tennessee is yet another example of how the public and private sectors and our higher educational system are all working together in close collaboration to strengthen the revitalization of America’s domestic nuclear sector and train the next generation of Americans to enter the advanced nuclear industry which will create thousands of fulfilling, well-paying jobs that will grow our local, state, and national economy.” – Energy and Water Appropriations Chairman Chuck Fleischmann
“Tennessee is ready-made to lead America’s energy independence and drive continued economic growth with safe, clean and reliable nuclear energy for the future. We are the number one state for nuclear energy companies to invest and thrive, and I thank Kairos Power for working in partnership with the University of Tennessee to further invest in our state’s efforts to upskill our talented workforce and prepare students to enter the nuclear field.”– Tennessee Governor Bill Lee
“The Operator Training Simulator Laboratory will be an important tool in realizing Hermes’ objectives as a stepping-stone to the commercial fleet. Kairos Power is proud to partner with the University of Tennessee to build on the region’s distinguished nuclear legacy, strengthening the pipeline for students and operators that will be the future of our nuclear workforce.” – Mike Laufer, CEO and co-founder
“The nuclear industry requires professionals in a variety of disciplines with specialized skills and a foundational understanding of core principles to perform in their roles. Kairos Power’s operator training program provides vital exposure to advanced reactor technologies that will help both Kairos Power employees and UT students gain a strong footing in the industry.” – Jaclyn Rodriguez, Senior Director, Talent and Organizational Development
“East Tennessee is at the heart of launching advanced small modular reactor technology to demonstrate the promise of nuclear to meeting energy security needs for our region and the nation. The Nuclear Engineering Department is enthusiastic about the partnership with Kairos Power and the new educational and career opportunities this will provide for our students and faculty. The new operator training simulator laboratory represents a win-win scenario to train both our students and future Kairos employees.” – Brian Wirth, Department Head, Tickle College of Engineering Nuclear Engineering Department
“This partnership is critical in the Tickle College of Engineering to help us provide the best resources and opportunities for students and to educate the workforce needed for the states nuclear industry. Our college’s Nuclear Engineering program ranks fifth in the country among public institutions and this partnership only enhances our standing as a leader in the field.” – Matthew Mench, Dean and Wayne T. Davis Dean’s Chair of the Tickle College of Engineering.
About Kairos Power
Kairos Power is a mission-driven nuclear technology, engineering, and manufacturing company singularly focused on commercializing the fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) – a clean energy solution that can be deployed with robust safety at an affordable cost to enable deep decarbonization. Founded in 2016, the company is unique in applying a rapid iterative development approach and vertical integration strategy to bring advanced reactor technology to market. In 2023, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a construction permit for Kairos Power’s Hermes demonstration reactor – the first non-water-cooled reactor to be approved for construction in the U.S. in more than 50 years. Kairos Power’s mission is to enable the world’s transition to clean energy with the ultimate goal of dramatically improving people’s quality of life while protecting the environment. Learn more at kairospower.com.
About The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. UT is home to more than 38,000 students—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service. The university offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, UT has a footprint that spans the entire state with the Space Institute in Tullahoma and Institute of Agriculture Extension offices in all 95 counties. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Contact:
Christopher Ortiz
Corporate Communications
[email protected]
(510) 775-1685
