FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KAIROS POWER AND BWXT TO COLLABORATE ON COMMERCIAL TRISO MANUFACTURING
The Kairos Power-BWXT team will work together to explore opportunities for the optimization of commercial production of TRISO fuel for Hermes 2 and future commercial reactors
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Sept. 3, 2025 – Kairos Power and BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT) today announced an agreement to collaboratively explore technical and process opportunities for the optimization of commercial production of TRISO nuclear fuel to supply Kairos Power’s advanced reactor fleet and other potential customers. The arrangement will bring together Kairos Power’s established capabilities in annular graphite pebble production with BWXT’s more than 20 years of experience in TRISO fuel manufacturing and will consider possible paths to deliver fuel for the Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant and subsequent Kairos Power reactor deployments.
Kairos Power’s Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR) uses TRISO fuel embedded in annular graphite pebbles roughly the size of a golf ball.
Under the collaboration agreement, the joint team will explore opportunities to utilize the state-of-the-art TRISO Development Lab (TDL) at Kairos Power’s Albuquerque campus, the BWXT Innovation Campus in Lynchburg, Virginia, and BWXT’s existing TRISO production line to optimize TRISO fuel manufacturing and process automation. The companies have also agreed to explore opportunities to jointly develop a TRISO fuel fabrication facility, which would incorporate this experience and knowledge, along with newly developed technology for commercial fuel production.
This combined fuel manufacturing knowledge and expertise creates the opportunity to develop efficient and cost-effective mass-produced TRISO coated particle fuel to support Kairos Power’s commercial scale-up and lower fuel costs for the advanced reactor industry.
Surrogate fuel pebbles are fabricated on an automated production line in Kairos Power’s Albuquerque Pebble Development Lab.
“This collaboration between Kairos Power and BWXT is an opportunity to develop a secure pathway to produce the fuel we need for Hermes 2 and beyond,” said Ed Blandford, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder. “Commercial TRISO fuel production is the next step in the development of Kairos Power’s fuel supply chain. With BWXT as a trusted strategic partner, we have a clear path to produce the high-quality fuel products that will unlock advanced nuclear energy’s potential.”
“Kairos Power sees an opportunity with BWXT to accelerate innovation in TRISO fuel manufacturing processes and more quickly realize gains in production, automation, and process efficiency that will reduce future commercial fuel costs,” said Micah Hackett, Vice President, Fuels & Materials. “As Kairos and other vendors announce firm reactor deployment plans, investing in TRISO fuel manufacturing capabilities today will ensure a cost-competitive product to fuel the advanced reactor fleet of tomorrow.”
Aerial view of Kairos Power’s TRISO Development Lab in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“This collaboration between BWXT and Kairos creates an industry-leading TRISO development and manufacturing team,” said Josh Parker, Senior Director, BWXT Advanced Fuels. “Together, we believe we have the opportunity and skills to speed up the development process and provide more economical TRISO fuel that ensures supply for Kairos, BWXT, and the wider advanced reactor community.”
TRISO (TRi-structural ISOtropic) particle fuel is a proven technology developed by the U.S. Department of Energy, which has dubbed it “the most robust nuclear fuel on earth.” Each TRISO particle is made up of a uranium, carbon, and oxygen fuel kernel encapsulated by three layers of carbon- and ceramic-based materials that prevent the release of radioactive fission products. By combining TRISO fuel with molten fluoride salt coolant, Kairos Power’s advanced reactor technology achieves robust inherent safety in a simplified, compact design.
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 2025, Kairos Power commenced safety-related construction of the Hermes demonstration reactor – the first non-water-cooled reactor to be approved for construction in the U.S. in over 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.
BWXT Forward-Looking Statements
BWXT cautions that this release contains forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the commercial production of TRISO nuclear fuel by BWXT in the future. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including, among other things, the development of a commercial market for TRISO, the execution of contracts for the production of TRISO, regulatory approvals, timing of technology development and competition in an environment of rapid technological change. If one or more of these or other risks materialize, actual results may vary materially from those expressed. For a more complete discussion of these and other risk factors, please see BWXT’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. BWXT cautions not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except to the extent required by applicable law.
About BWXT
At BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT), we are People Strong, Innovation Driven. A U.S.-based company, BWXT is a Fortune 1000 and Defense News Top 100 manufacturing and engineering innovator that provides safe and effective nuclear solutions for global security, clean energy, environmental restoration, nuclear medicine and space exploration. With nearly 10,000 employees, BWXT and its industry partners support the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration across more than a dozen major contracts in North America. For more information, visit www.bwxt.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram.
Contact:
Christopher Ortiz
Corporate Communications
media@kairospower.com
(510) 775-1685
