Google, TVA & Kairos Power: New Nuclear Power in the US
Oak Ridge Tennessee is an area well known for playing a crucial role in the Manhattan Project, where the US developed the first atomic bomb during World War II.
The remote location was chosen as a prime place to develop technologies in secrecy.
Now, the area will be revitalised as a nuclear and technology hot spot through as a result of collaboration between Google, TVA and Kairos Power.
The three companies have announced the first purchase of electricity from a GEN IV reactor by a US utility company.
Kate Brandt, Chief Sustainability Officer at Google says: “Today we’re announcing a historic first for the US energy grid.
“In a landmark agreement, Google has teamed up with Kairos Power and Tennessee Valley Authority to help deploy the Hermes 2 Plant, a new advanced nuclear reactor, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
“To build clean and resilient energy systems, we need strong communities.
“This collaboration aims to help to revitalise the Oak Ridge community's legacy of nuclear innovation, create high-paying jobs, and provide educational opportunities through partnerships with the University of Tennessee and other local colleges.
“This work is such a great example of the power in bringing together technology, business, and community, three key components to solving the biggest challenges of our time.”
What is the project?
Google acquired the project through a power purchase agreement between Kairos Power and Tennessee Valley Authority.
The agreement will enable 50 megawatts of nuclear energy on TVA’s grid that powers the Google data centers in Montgomery county, Tennessee and Jackson County, Alabama.
The operations are scheduled to begin in 2030, with TVA purchasing electricity from Kairos Power’s Hermes 2 plant.
The clean energy from the plant will help to power the Google data centres 24 hours a day.
Amanda Peterson Corio, Energy & Global Infrastructure, Google says “Last year, we communicated the start of our collaboration with Kairos Power to unlock up to 500 MW of nuclear power for the U.S. electricity system through multiple small modular reactor deployments.
"We are happy to share that Oak Ridge, TN is the first home for our partnership. The energy generated will directly support our data centers in Montgomery County, Tennessee and Jackson County, Alabama, where we have invested more than $3.5 billion into the communities since 2018."
What is the future of the project?
The power plant is part of a collaboration between the companies with the aim to unlock up to 500 MW of nuclear power for the US electricity system.
The end goal of the long term project will be to create a three party solution where energy customers, utilities and technology developers work together to advance new technologies.
The new technologies will aim to support the global growing energy needs with reliable, affordable capacity.
The plant will help to re-establish Oak Ridge as a nuclear innovation hub, collaborating with universities to grow local workforce talent for high-paying jobs as plant operators and engineers.
Don Moul, CEO, TVA explains how the project is beneficial “Nuclear is the bedrock of the future of energy security.
“Google stepping in and helping shoulder the burden of the cost and risk for the first-of-a-kind nuclear projects not only helps Google get to those solutions, but keeps us from having to burden our customers with development of that technology.
“So it is not just good for Google.
“It’s good for TVA’s 10 million customers.
“It’s good for the United States.”
More about Kairos Power
Kairos Power says that it is a mission driven engineering company that has a core focus of delivering clean, affordable and safe energy solutions.
The company provides solutions through integrated design, licensing and demonstration of advanced reactor technology.
Kairos Power’s reactors are different from most nuclear reactors as it does not utilise water as a coolant, instead using molten fluoride salt.
The company reports that the fluoride salt has excellent chemical stability and a large capacity for transferring heat temperatures and retaining fission products.
The reactors also run under passive safety meaning it does not require electricity to remove heat after shutting down its emergency cooling systems relies on fundamental physics rather than an engineered system.
Micheal Terrell, Head of Advanced Energy, Google says: “Oak Ridge truly is where America’s nuclear past meets its clean energy future. We are building the next generation of nuclear energy technology on the exact site of the biggest scientific breakthroughs in nuclear history, and there’s no better place to put our stake in the future of nuclear power than here.
“Through this collaboration with Kairos and Tennessee Valley Authority, we’re taking an important step toward rapidly enabling more reliable, affordable nuclear capacity for our electricity system and advancing this clean energy solution for both Google and the world.”
