Demonstrator at Oak Ridge to pave way for eventual commercial use
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has completed a final safety evaluation for the Hermes low-power demonstration reactor to be deployed by Kairos Power at Oak Ridge in Tennessee.
The NRC said in a statement that staff concluded there were no safety aspects that would preclude the issuing of a construction permit for Hermes.
The statement said the safety review took 18 months and was completed head of schedule. The NRC is also to complete a final environmental impact assessment in September 2023.
The agency said both documents will be provided for a mandatory hearing phase part of the licensing process, during which the NRC will examine whether the staff’s reviews support the findings necessary to issue the construction permit.
In November 2021, the NRC formally accepted Kairos Power’s construction permit application for the Hermes project to be built at the East Tennessee Technology Park Heritage Center site in Oak Ridge.
Kairos Power is developing advanced fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology. The Hermes demonstration reactor will be a key step on the path toward commercialising the KP-FHR technology.
The Hermes test reactor will use tri-structural isotropic particle fuel (Triso) and
molten salt to cool the reactor core. Earlier this year the company signed an agreement to produce Triso fuel pebbles for the Hermes demonstration reactor at Los Alamos’ low enriched fuel fabrication facility in New Mexico.
The NRC said the demonstration reactor is intended to provide operational data to support the development of a larger version for commercial deployment. Kairos Power will have to submit a separate application in the future for an operating license for Hermes.
