Samsung C&T Invests in Kairos Power's Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant

Samsung C&T has agreed to provide up to USD100 million in direct investment and in-kind engineering services for the Hermes 2 demonstration plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This commitment, subject to regulatory approvals, aims to support Kairos Power's financial readiness for the Hermes 2 project and the commercial deployment of its fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology.

As part of the agreement, Samsung C&T will join Kairos Power's integrated engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) team. This partnership will leverage expertise to support the delivery of Hermes 2 and future KP-FHR plants. The collaboration will initially focus on selected engineering and construction activities, specifically for power-generation systems and the balance of plant. Kairos Power will lead the nuclear island's reactor technology, engineering, manufacturing, procurement, and construction.

This agreement follows a trilateral memorandum of understanding signed on August 18 by Samsung C&T, Kairos Power, and Barnard Construction, which established an early framework for project execution. Samsung C&T will participate in tasks such as the design and constructability review of the Hermes demonstration reactor and has secured priority rights for EPC services for Kairos Power's planned commercial reactor in the USA. The companies also plan to identify global business opportunities in nuclear power markets, including South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

Kairos Power received construction permits for the Hermes 2 plant in December 2024 and began construction in Oak Ridge in April 2026. The 50 MWe grid-connected reactor is designed to demonstrate KP-FHR technology at a relevant scale, aiming to mitigate technical, licensing, manufacturing, and construction uncertainties for subsequent full-size commercial plants.

Samsung C&T has a history in nuclear power, having delivered 12 GW of generating capacity across 10 reactors, including the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE and units 5 and 6 at the Shin Hanul plant in South Korea. The company has also engaged in nuclear power plant refurbishment and front-end engineering and design for small modular reactors (SMRs), with partnerships supporting SMR development projects in Romania, Estonia, Sweden, and Poland.

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