The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved its first-ever construction permits Wednesday for an electricity-generating advanced nuclear reactor.
The agency greenlighted Kairos Power’s Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant in record time, trimming a yearslong process into an 18-month turnaround. The decision is yet another boost for Kairos Power after the NRC authorized construction of its first Hermes project in December 2023.
Nuclear proponents said the sped-up approval process was also good news for the push to revive nuclear power.
“This is definitely a positive development,” said Adam Stein, nuclear energy innovation director at the pro-nuclear think tank Breakthrough Institute. “The NRC has shown it can license an advanced reactor in a reasonable amount of time.”
