Kairos Power and South Korea’s Samsung C&T have signed a binding agreement under which Samsung will provide up to $100 million through direct investment and in-kind engineering services to support Kairos Power’s Hermes 2 advanced reactor project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The agreement remains subject to regulatory approvals.
Samsung C&T will also join Kairos Power’s integrated engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) team, initially supporting power-generation systems and balance-of-plant work. Kairos will retain responsibility for the reactor technology, nuclear island engineering, manufacturing, procurement and construction.
Hermes 2 is a 50 MWe grid-connected demonstration reactor using Kairos Power’s fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor technology, combined with TRISO fuel. Construction began in April 2026, with the project targeting operation in 2030. Electricity from the reactor will form part of Kairos’ agreement to supply power to Google.
The partnership also extends beyond Hermes 2. Samsung C&T has secured priority rights to perform EPC work for a future commercial Kairos reactor in the US, while the companies plan to explore opportunities in South Korea, Southeast Asia and Europe. Samsung brings experience from 12 GW of nuclear projects across 10 reactors, strengthening the partnership as Kairos moves from demonstration toward commercial deployment of its advanced reactor technology.
Image: Kairos