The Kairos Power team welcomed 2023 with a busy start, building new infrastructure and partnerships to enable our clean energy mission. Here’s the latest on what we’ve been up to.
Breaking New Ground in Albuquerque
The Engineering Test Unit (ETU) at Kairos Power’s testing and manufacturing facility in New Mexico continues to generate important lessons learned. ETU 1.0 is a first-of-its-kind, non-nuclear hardware iteration that demonstrates the integration of principal KP-FHR systems, structures, and components. It represents a significant milestone on our pathway to commercializing advanced reactor technology.
Learnings from the ETU series will inform the design, construction, and operation of Kairos Power’s first nuclear iteration – the Hermes low-power demonstration reactor – to be built in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
ETU 1.0 has been made possible by Kairos Power’s investments in manufacturing infrastructure co-located with our testing facility at KP Southwest.
In a new video, co-founders Mike Laufer, Ed Blandford, and Per Peterson present the strategic role of in-house manufacturing in building ETU 1.0 and future iterations. These internal capabilities are helping us to move quickly in our rapid iterative approach to KP-FHR deployment.
New capabilities at KP Southwest include an expanded graphite machining room where we’ll produce the graphite reflector blocks for ETU 2.0 – the next iteration in the ETU series, which will have increasing similarity to Hermes and further advance development of KP-FHR systems and operations.
And late last year, we commissioned the KP Southwest vessel shop, which recently delivered a milestone of its own with the production of Kairos Power’s first ASME U-stamped pressure vessel.
Kairos Power has produced our first U-stamped pressure vessel, certifying that the design, fabrication, inspection, and testing conform to ASME code.
The clean energy transition will be built on hardware, and our manufacturing team is working to deliver it. 💪 pic.twitter.com/AiZgL9sINV
— Kairos Power (@KairosPower) January 30, 2023
Kairos Power is also rapidly advancing its fuel development program with the work in our Pebble Development Lab (PDL), where we’re optimizing manufacturing processes in a non-nuclear environment to scale up the production of annular TRISO fuel pebbles. Through iterative plan-design-build-test loops, the Kairos Power fuel team is accelerating innovation that will enable fuel production for the Hermes demonstration reactor in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The ability to design and manufacture critical components in-house allows Kairos Power to own our destiny while better controlling product quality, schedule, and cost. It’s why we’re growing our manufacturing capabilities and implementing vertical integration as a key strategy to achieve cost certainty for KP-FHR technology.
What’s next? With two new facilities under construction at KP Southwest, our team continues to strengthen testing and manufacturing operations in Albuquerque to support upcoming iterations on our path toward commercialization.
In coming months we’ll commission the Modular Systems Facility to enable the construction of ETU 2.0, and our TRISO Development Lab (TDL), which will host non-nuclear innovation cycles using surrogate materials to develop manufacturing processes for coated TRISO fuel particles. This work will directly support the deployment of Hermes in Tennessee and the following iterations.
But first… Kairos Power is collaborating with a key partner in New Mexico to build the supply chain that will be critical to our future commercial success.
Kairos Power Signs MOU with Urenco USA
We are pleased to announce that Kairos Power has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with @UrencoUSA to collaborate on a path forward to securing a HALEU supply for future commercial reactors – a significant step toward advancing the KP-FHR fuel program.
— Kairos Power (@KairosPower) February 9, 2023
Last year, the UrencoUSA team got an up-close view of our testing & manufacturing operations at KP Southwest, just a few hours from their domestic LEU enrichment facility in Eunice, NM. Here’s to a fruitful partnership advancing clean energy innovation in the Land of Enchantment. pic.twitter.com/mVT4ohTnNN
— Kairos Power (@KairosPower) February 9, 2023
We are fortunate to have neighbors in New Mexico who are supporting the evolution of the nuclear fuel cycle to supply the next generation of reactors. Kairos Power’s MOU with Urenco USA aligns with our vertical integration strategy, which requires a robust supply chain for off-the-shelf parts and raw materials like HALEU to support in-house production of cost-significant components.
In other news… As the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s review of the Hermes construction permit application continues to move forward, Kairos Power has logged a new achievement on the licensing front.
KP-FHR Topical Reports Approved
Kairos Power has received final safety evaluations from @NRCgov on three topical reports for KP-FHR related to Fuel, Graphite Material, and Metallic Material Qualification. All 11 topical reports submitted since commencing pre-application engagement in 2018 are now approved. pic.twitter.com/PQoG6ff9EO
— Kairos Power (@KairosPower) March 22, 2023
The use of topical reports is aligned with Kairos Power’s iterative approach to licensing advanced reactor technology, allowing us to retire regulatory risk early in the development process. These topical reports are not only key to advancing Hermes, but they will also support future KP-FHR license applications. All 11 topical reports submitted since 2018 are now approved.
What’s next? Kairos Power is on track to break ground at the Hermes site pending receipt of the construction permit later this year. Visit the NRC’s project status dashboard for a complete look at Hermes’ licensing progress.
Last but not least… Kairos Power was recently highlighted for our work advancing low-carbon, clean-energy technology that will play a necessary role in fighting climate change.
Enabling the World’s Transition to Clean Energy
Kairos Power is thrilled to be named to the Global Cleantech 100, @cleantechgroup‘s list of the most innovative and promising companies that will drive action toward reaching net-zero and make an impact on climate change. Read the news: #GCT100 https://t.co/q4psIUnOoA pic.twitter.com/UKAlTKZrrj
— Kairos Power (@KairosPower) January 12, 2023
Each year, Cleantech Group identifies the most innovative and promising companies that will drive action toward reaching net-zero carbon emissions. Kairos Power is honored to be recognized on the 2023 Global Cleantech 100 list – a testament to our mission to improve people’s quality of life and protect the environment by deploying clean, safe advanced fission technology to power our world.
Until Next Time
From everyone at Kairos Power, thank you for reading and coming along on our journey. Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for more updates.
Reading List
- Is America Ready for a New Age of Nuclear Power? – The Atlantic
- How Albuquerque energized this California nuclear technology company – Albuquerque Business First
- Secret City to Advanced Nuclear Hub: Tennessee’s legacy of innovation and development in nuclear energy – Energizing Tennessee
- Kairos Power named one of America’s Best Startup Employers for the fourth year in a row – Forbes
