Kairos Power raises $643M to build nuclear reactors for Google
What's the deal? Nuclear developer Kairos PowerDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised $643 million in late-stage funding to advance its molten salt reactor technology. Google Ventures and Samsung C&TDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → led a $368 million portion, while the Department of EnergyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → supplied another $275 million.
What's the endgame? The money backs Kairos' 50MW demonstration reactor, Hermes 2, set to switch on in 2030. It's a proving step toward a larger goal: a 2024 partnership with Google to build 500MW of advanced nuclear reactors by 2035.
Why now? Before scaling to power Google data centers, Kairos must show its technology works. Hermes 2 is that test case.
What could go wrong? The timeline is tight. Kairos has to bring an unproven reactor design online by 2030, then deliver 10 times that capacity five years later.
The signal: The round ranks among the largest late-stage energy deals in the US, above the 99th percentile of 618 comparable rounds. It reflects how the data center boom is pulling big tech and government money into advanced nuclear, as hyperscalers hunt for reliable, carbon-free power.
Read more: energycentral.com
Image credit: NRCgov
