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Apr 29, 2026

Kairos Power's bet on nuclear and the AI data center sector

Kairos Power CEO Mike Laufer talks about the company’s first commercial nuclear facility, Hermes 2, being built in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as well as its partnership with Google and the AI data center sector at large.

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An architect's rendering of the Kairos Power Hermes 2 nuclear facility, scheduled for completion by 2030.
An architect's rendering of the Kairos Power Hermes 2 nuclear facility, scheduled for completion by 2030.
Kairos Power

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There's been renewed interest in nuclear power in recent years, thanks in part to demand from tech companies in search of reliable energy to power their AI data centers.

The startup Kairos Power has jumped on this opportunity. Its nuclear reactors are cooled by molten salt. They also use golf-ball sized nuclear fuel, instead of uranium rods cooled by water used by traditional reactors.

Mike Laufer, co-founder and CEO of Kairos, says their reactors a bit like an upside down gumball machine.

The company just started construction on its first power plant, located in eastern Tennessee, called Hermes 2. It will supply energy to the utility in the area, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and specifically to Google to power its data centers.

Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes spoke with Laufer to learn more.

More on this

Kairos breaks ground for Hermes 2 reactor - from World Nuclear News

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