Alphabet’s Google and Kairos Power are planning to integrate an advanced nuclear facility into the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) electricity grid by 2030.
In a newly established agreement, TVA will purchase up to 50MW of electricity from the Hermes 2 reactor developed by Kairos Power. The deal marks the first time a US utility has entered a power purchase agreement with an advanced reactor such as Hermes 2.
The Hermes 2 facility represents the initial phase of a broader collaboration between Kairos Power and Google, aiming to deliver 500MW of advanced nuclear capacity by 2035 to meet Google’s expanding energy requirements.
To facilitate the provision of clean energy to Google, Kairos Power intends to increase Hermes 2’s capacity from 28MW to 50MW, with the plant expected to become operational in 2030.
Google will acquire clean energy attributes via the TVA system, aiding in the decarbonisation of its data centres located in Montgomery County, Tennessee, and Jackson County, Alabama, while also supporting regional development.
The partnership underscores TVA’s commitment to incorporating advanced and reliable energy sources, such as Kairos Power’s nuclear technology, to foster the growth of clean energy within its service area.
Google, Kairos Power, and TVA are working together to provide a solution for industrial energy consumers to meet their increasing needs responsibly, while also promoting local economic development.
Google Data Center Energy global head Amanda Peterson Corio said: “To power the future, we need to grow the availability of smart, firm energy sources.
“This collaboration with TVA, Kairos Power, and the Oak Ridge community will accelerate the deployment of innovative nuclear technologies and help support the needs of our growing digital economy while also bringing firm carbon-free energy to the electricity system.
“Lessons from the development and operation of the Hermes 2 plant will help drive down the cost of future reactors, improving the economics of clean firm power generation in the TVA region and beyond.”
Kairos Power CEO and co-founder Mike Laufer said: “This collaboration is an important enabler to making advanced nuclear energy commercially competitive.
“The re-envisioned Hermes 2 gets us closer to the commercial fleet sooner and could only be made possible by close collaboration with TVA and Google, and a supportive local community. We are excited to grow Kairos Power’s operations in Oak Ridge while writing a new chapter in the region’s distinguished nuclear history.”
TVA president and CEO Don Moul said: “Energy security is national security, and electricity is the strategic commodity that is the building block for AI and our nation’s economic prosperity.
“The world is looking for American leadership, and this first-of-a-kind agreement is the start of an innovative way of doing business.
“By developing a technology, a supply chain, and a delivery model that can build an industry to unleash American energy, we can attract and support companies like Google and help America win the AI race.”
