FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KAIROS POWER INSTALLS REACTOR VESSEL FOR OAK RIDGE ENGINEERING TEST UNIT
Project demonstrates faster, more cost-effective methods for building advanced nuclear reactors
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – July 15, 2025 – Kairos Power has successfully installed the reactor vessel for its third Engineering Test Unit (ETU 3.0) at the company’s campus in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Leveraging industry and academic partnerships, the project pilots innovative manufacturing and construction processes, aiming to lower costs and accelerate production timelines for Kairos Power’s future commercial fleet.
“The installation of our third ETU reactor vessel marks a significant moment on our commercial development pathway,” said Kairos Power Chief Technology Officer and co-founder Edward Blandford. “ETU 3.0 will serve an important mission as a testing and training platform to ensure safe and efficient operations for the Hermes reactor. But, more broadly, the expertise and capabilities we gain from the ETU program will help pave the way to successfully deploy Kairos Power’s commercial fleet.”
The installation of the 14-foot-tall ETU 3.0 vessel marks a significant construction milestone for the non-nuclear reactor mockup. The ETU 3.0 building is being constructed around the reactor vessel in a streamlined sequence, which allowed the oversized component to be moved into position before the roof and other elements are in place. Kairos Power is collaborating with Barnard Construction to build the facility, using it as a proving ground to refine civil construction methods and quality assurance procedures for the Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor, currently under construction at the same site.
The ETU 3.0 reactor vessel was lowered into position using construction cranes and mounted on a support structure attached to the building’s foundation.
The ETU 3.0 vessel installation is a contract milestone under Kairos Power’s Technology Investment Agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for up to $303 million in risk reduction funding through the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). Under the agreement, Kairos Power receives fixed, performance-based payments from DOE upon demonstrating the completion of pre-determined project milestones.
“Kairos Power’s novel contract with DOE allows us to remain agile while demonstrating continued progress as a responsible steward of public funding,” said Kairos Power CEO and co-founder Mike Laufer. “ARDP support is helping us to move quickly through progressively sophisticated iterations, gaining essential learning that will enable commercial deployment of our advanced reactor technology on a meaningful timeline.”
The ETU 3.0 reactor vessel was fabricated in partnership with Cambridge Vacuum Engineering (CVE) and the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), using cutting-edge electron beam welding (EBW) technology. EBW produces high-quality welds at least an order of magnitude faster than conventional arc welding. The ETU 3.0 vessel project allowed Kairos Power to evaluate the advanced welding technique to enable faster, more cost-effective production of reactor vessels with precise tolerances for future commercial deployments.
“Large demonstrations like the ETU 3.0 reactor vessel are vital for effectively bringing advanced manufacturing methods into industry, offering a holistic solution for fabricating complex, large-scale components,” said University of Sheffield AMRC interim CEO Ben Morgan.
“The collaboration with Kairos Power, CVE, and the AMRC underscores the transformative potential of electron beam welding in advanced manufacturing,” said CVE Managing Director Bob Nicolson. “The technology scales well to the precise and demanding requirements of nuclear construction, and this partnership represents a significant step forward in SMR commercialization.”
The Kairos Power and Barnard Construction teams collaborated to install the reactor vessel for the non-nuclear Engineering Test Unit 3.0 at Kairos Power’s site in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
In addition to piloting new construction methods and manufacturing processes, ETU 3.0 will ultimately support the Hermes reactor as an operator training center and test platform for remote handling and maintenance equipment. The facility will help improve operator safety and reduce downtime by prequalifying procedures for maintaining and replacing high-temperature reactor systems and components.
The ETU 3.0 building will also house a Modular Systems Facility where plant equipment modules for ETU 3.0 and the Hermes reactor will be staged, assembled, and tested prior to installation. The modular reactor construction methods being piloted with the ETU series and Hermes will be foundational to reducing construction costs and timelines for future plant deployments.
“The ability to test innovative production methods with our non-nuclear iterations is a game-changer for us,” said Kairos Power Vice President of Manufacturing Craig Gerardi. “By serving as a vehicle to exercise the supply chain and gain construction proficiency, the ETU program helps build confidence in our ability to deliver reactors for Kairos Power customers.”
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.
Contact:
Christopher Ortiz
Corporate Communications
media@kairospower.com
(510) 775-1685
