Partnership and Project Overview
The new power purchase agreement (PPA) between Kairos Power and TVA will deliver up to 50 megawatts of electricity from the Hermes 2 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to the TVA grid. This energy will supply Google’s data centers located in Montgomery County, Tennessee, and Jackson County, Alabama. Hermes 2 represents the first commercial deployment of a Generation IV nuclear reactor in the United States, with operations scheduled to begin in 2030.
Significance of the Project
TVA becomes the first U.S. utility to enter into a PPA to buy power from an advanced Gen IV nuclear reactor, marking a significant milestone for the U.S. nuclear industry. This project is part of Kairos Power's agreement with Google to enable up to 500 MW of new advanced nuclear capacity to support Google’s expanding energy needs by 2035.
Technology and Capacity
Hermes 2 is a molten salt-cooled nuclear reactor capable of producing clean, firm power. Initially planned for 28 MW output, Kairos has increased the planned reactor output to 50 MW to expedite clean energy delivery to Google’s data centers and meet rising power demands, especially driven by AI and cloud computing workloads.
Statements from Key Leaders
Amanda Peterson Corio, Google’s Global Head of Data Center Energy, highlighted the importance of this collaboration in accelerating innovative nuclear technologies and supporting the digital economy with carbon-free energy. Mike Laufer, CEO of Kairos Power, emphasized the role of the project in making advanced nuclear energy commercially viable and advancing America’s energy leadership. Don Moul, TVA President and CEO, noted that energy security is vital to the nation's economic prosperity and AI competitiveness, lauding the partnership as an innovative business model.
Environmental and Economic Impact
This initiative supports efforts to decarbonize energy-intensive operations at Google and push the U.S. toward sustainable energy sources. It also promotes local economic growth in Oak Ridge and surrounding regions, while developing new technology and supply chains for next-generation nuclear power.
