DOE Allocates HALEU Fuel for Kairos Power Hermes 1 Demonstration Reactor

January 21, 2026

1–2 minutes

Summary

Kairos Power has finalized a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to receive High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) for the Hermes 1 demonstration reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The HALEU will be fabricated into TRISO fuel pebbles in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory. This allocation supports Hermes 1 startup and operation, and is part of DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, which is investing up to $303 million in the project. The Hermes 1 reactor is the first non-light-water reactor approved for construction by the NRC in over 50 years. The experience gained will inform the development of Hermes 2 and future commercial reactors.

Key points

Kairos Power has secured DOE-supplied HALEU for the Hermes 1 demonstration reactor under the HALEU Availability Program.
HALEU will be fabricated into TRISO fuel pebbles at Los Alamos National Laboratory using Kairos Power-developed processes.
Hermes 1 is under construction in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and is the first non-light-water reactor approved by the NRC in over five decades.
DOE is providing up to $303 million in funding through the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program via a milestone-based contract.
Recent agreements with BWXT indicate ongoing efforts to scale TRISO fuel manufacturing for Hermes 2 and future commercial deployment.

Why it matters

Securing HALEU addresses a critical supply chain challenge for advanced reactor deployment in the U.S.
Hermes 1 will provide operational and manufacturing data to de-risk future commercial reactors, including Hermes 2.
DOE’s support demonstrates federal commitment to advanced reactor technologies and fuel cycle infrastructure.
The project advances the deployment of non-light-water reactor designs, diversifying the U.S. nuclear technology base.
Collaboration with BWXT and national labs positions Kairos Power for commercial TRISO fuel production, relevant to broader industry efforts.

Source

Kairos Power

Draft generated automatically for Engineering235. Editor review pending.