The nuclear energy scene in East Tennessee recently got a $27 million boost. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Kairos Power have teamed up to accelerate the development of a new kind of nuclear reactor. Instead of using water for cooling like traditional plants, this design uses molten fluoride salt.

The goal is to get these “advanced reactors” ready for the real world. ORNL is taking a hands-on role in manufacturing parts and testing the fuel. This work is a direct lead-up to the Hermes demonstration reactors currently being built in Oak Ridge.

Bringing Back a Classic Idea

reactor fuel pebbles
TRISO fuel pebbles like those pictured will be used to power the novel fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature demonstration reactor; Photo: Kairos Power

This technology has deep roots in Tennessee. ORNL proved this concept worked 60 years ago when they ran the world’s first molten salt reactor. Now, they are using that history, modern 3D printing, and advanced labs to commercialize it.

“Providing the scientific basis for new technology is what we do at Oak Ridge National Laboratory,” said ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer. “With energy demand expected to increase substantially by 2050, our continued partnerships with U.S. industry, including Kairos Power, are how we will bring more reliable, affordable energy to market.”

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The partnership will focus on some of the toughest engineering challenges over the next five years. This includes figuring out how materials like ceramics and carbon composites handle extreme heat and corrosive salts, and even developing remote-controlled maintenance systems that can survive inside a hot reactor.

Why This Matters for the Grid

Fuel pebbles cut in half; Photo: Kairos Power

The reason we have seen so many nuclear advancements is because data centers are driving the demand for clean electricity. Nuclear power already provides about 20% of the nation’s power, but experts say that capacity needs to grow.

“It’s exciting to see how our historical lineage in molten salt reactor technology and coated particle fuel are being leveraged with the lab’s more recent advances in additive manufacturing to support Kairos Power in building the first advanced reactor of its kind in our own backyard,” said Chris Petrie, interim section head of Nuclear Fuel Development at ORNL.