![[kairos-power-logo.png|300]] Company website: [https://kairospower.com/](https://kairospower.com/) ### Introduction Kairos Power was founded in 2016 by Mike Laufer, Edward Blandford, and Per Peterson, a team of nuclear engineers and entrepreneurs from the University of California, Berkeley, aiming to commercialize advanced reactor technology developed through academic research. Headquartered in Alameda, California, with additional facilities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, the company's mission is to enable the world's transition to clean energy by delivering a cost-competitive, advanced nuclear reactor that dramatically improves quality of life while protecting the environment through safe, affordable, and scalable solutions. Kairos Power's key focus areas include developing fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactors (FHRs) for dispatchable clean power, demonstrating technology through iterative testing and prototypes, and building a domestic supply chain for advanced nuclear components; the company emphasizes rapid iteration, cost reduction via modern manufacturing, and regulatory engagement to accelerate commercialization and integration with renewables for grid resiliency. ### Key Products and Technology - **Kairos Power Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR)**: A pebble-bed reactor using TRISO fuel particles and molten fluoride salt coolant; features include passive safety with low-pressure operation, high-temperature output for efficiency (up to 41% thermal-to-electric), modular design for factory production, and inherent accident resistance; applications in baseload electricity, industrial process heat, hydrogen production, and desalination, targeting cost competitiveness with natural gas. - **Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor**: A 35 MWt non-power prototype of KP-FHR; features scaled-down design for licensing and testing, TRISO fuel, salt coolant, and integrated systems for data collection; applications in validating safety, performance, and operations ahead of commercial deployment, with construction underway in Oak Ridge for operation by 2027. - **Engineering Test Units (ETUs)**: Iterative non-nuclear prototypes like ETU 3.0; features full-scale mechanical and thermal testing, reactor vessel installation, and 3D-printed formwork for construction efficiency; applications in de-risking design, supply chain validation, and cost reduction through rapid prototyping. ### Team and Leadership - **Mike Laufer, Co-founder and CEO**: Leads overall strategy and operations since 2016; Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from UC Berkeley, previously at FHR research; focuses on commercialization and team building; X handle: not available; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-laufer-5b5b5b1/. - **Edward Blandford, Co-founder and CTO**: Oversees technology development and R&D; Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from UC Berkeley, expert in reactor safety and design; drives innovation in FHR systems; X handle: not available; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-blandford/. - **Per Peterson, Co-founder and Chief Nuclear Officer**: Manages nuclear strategy and regulatory affairs; professor emeritus at UC Berkeley, pioneer in FHR technology; holds multiple patents; X handle: not available; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/per-peterson-5b5b5b1/. - **Peter Hastings, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Quality**: Leads licensing and compliance; extensive experience in NRC interactions. - **Darrell Gardner, Senior Vice President of Operations**: Oversees project execution and supply chain; background in nuclear construction. ### Recent News and Developments (2025) | Date | Event | Details | |------|--------|---------| | July 28, 2025 | 3D Printing Test for Construction | Kairos Power tests 3D-printed formwork at Oak Ridge campus to accelerate reactor construction and reduce costs for Hermes project. | | July 15, 2025 | Reactor Vessel Installation | Installed reactor vessel for ETU 3.0 at Oak Ridge, advancing non-nuclear testing for Hermes demonstration. | | May 30, 2025 | First Nuclear Concrete Pour | Completed initial nuclear safety-related concrete pour for Hermes reactor, marking start of construction at Oak Ridge site. | | May 9, 2025 | Hermes Construction Milestone | Announced first concrete pour for Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor in Tennessee, a scaled FHR version. | | May 8, 2025 | Google Funding Commitment | Google signs agreement to fund at least three Kairos Power projects totaling 600 MW, expanding clean energy for data centers. | ### Partnerships and Collaborations - **Google**: Master Plant Development Agreement from October 2024, ongoing in 2025, for deploying 500 MW of KP-FHR reactors by 2035, supporting data center power needs. - **Materion Corporation**: Strategic collaboration since May 2020 for developing cost-effective supply of beryllium fluoride salt coolant materials. - **University of Tennessee**: Partnership launched in April 2024 for nuclear operator training simulator facility, supporting workforce development. - **Argonne National Laboratory**: Award-winning collaboration on nuclear power plant simulations and molten salt chemistry monitoring. ### Closing Note As a privately funded company in the demonstration stage with over $300 million raised and key milestones like Hermes construction in 2025, Kairos Power is poised for commercial deployment by the early 2030s, driven by partnerships and regulatory progress in the growing SMR market. *Report generated July 28, 2025*