Kairos Power, Samsung C&T strike deal for Hermes 2 and KP-FHR rollout

Kairos Power and Samsung C&T signed a binding term sheet for up to $100 million in strategic investment and engineering support tied to the Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The deal deepens Kairos Power’s project-delivery team as it pushes fluoride salt-cooled reactor technology toward commercial deployment.

Why it matters: - The deal adds capital and construction expertise to Kairos Power’s effort to move its fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor technology from demonstration toward commercial use. - The partnership is meant to improve cost, schedule and execution certainty for Hermes 2 and future KP-FHR plants. - Kairos Power is trying to scale a non-water-cooled reactor design that targets clean power generation at utility scale.

What happened: - Kairos Power and Samsung C&T Engineering & Construction Group announced a binding term sheet for Samsung C&T to make a strategic investment in Kairos Power. - Samsung C&T agreed to provide up to $100 million through direct investment and in-kind engineering services, subject to regulatory approvals. - The funding is intended to support delivery of the Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. - Samsung C&T will join Kairos Power’s integrated engineering, procurement and construction team for Hermes 2 and later KP-FHR plants. - The companies said they will collaborate on selected engineering and construction work, starting with power-generation systems and balance-of-plant scope.

The details: - The agreement builds on a trilateral memorandum of understanding signed by Samsung C&T, Kairos Power and Barnard Construction on Aug. 18. - Kairos Power plans to lead reactor technology, engineering, manufacturing, procurement and construction for the nuclear island. - Kairos Power’s project management organization will provide project leadership, controls and execution oversight during development and construction. - Samsung C&T will contribute engineering and construction management capabilities, especially for power-generation systems and the balance of plant. - The companies said the integrated EPC team is designed to lay the groundwork for a standardized commercial KP-FHR design. - Hermes 2 received construction permits from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in December 2024. - Kairos Power broke ground on Hermes 2 in Oak Ridge in April 2026. - Hermes 2 is a grid-connected 50 MWe reactor that is intended to demonstrate KP-FHR technology at relevant scale. - The demonstration plant is meant to reduce technical, licensing, manufacturing and construction uncertainty for future commercial plants. - Kairos Power’s commercial offering uses TRISO particle fuel and molten fluoride salt coolant. - The company says the design is modular, scalable and suited for multi-unit deployment. - The U.S. Department of Energy is supporting development through an Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program risk-reduction award. - Kairos Power was founded in 2016 and received the first U.S. construction permit for a non-water-cooled reactor in more than 50 years in 2023. - Hermes 2 is under a multi-plant development agreement with Google and is expected to supply 50 MW of clean electricity to the TVA grid. - Samsung C&T said it has more than 40 years of experience across buildings, infrastructure and plant construction. - Samsung C&T has delivered 12 gigawatts across 10 nuclear units, including Barakah in the United Arab Emirates and Uljin Units 5 and 6 in South Korea. - Samsung C&T also has nuclear refurbishment experience and front-end engineering and design work for small modular reactors in Romania, Estonia, Sweden and Poland.

Between the lines: - The investment gives Kairos Power a high-profile industrial partner at a time when advanced nuclear developers need both financing and execution credibility. - Samsung C&T’s role suggests Kairos Power is trying to de-risk commercialization by pairing reactor development with a proven global EPC firm. - The focus on a standardized commercial design points to a broader strategy beyond Hermes 2, not just a single demonstration project. - Kairos Power’s emphasis on integrated project delivery reflects the industry’s focus on avoiding the delays and cost overruns that have plagued past nuclear builds.

What's next: - The transaction still needs regulatory approvals before the investment is completed. - Kairos Power and Samsung C&T plan to continue joint engineering and construction work as Hermes 2 advances. - The companies expect the partnership to support future KP-FHR deployments in the U.S. and internationally. - Kairos Power will keep advancing Hermes 2 as the demonstration platform for broader commercialization of KP-FHR technology.

The bottom line: - Kairos Power is turning Hermes 2 into a launchpad for commercial advanced nuclear, and Samsung C&T is buying into that plan with money, engineering support and construction muscle.