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Google, Kairos Power and TVA Seal First U.S. Utility PPA for Gen IV Nuclear to Power Data Centers

Operations are planned for 2030 pending an NRC operating license.

A Google sign is pictured on a Google building in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., October 20, 2020. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
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In August 2025, Google, TVA, and Kairos Power signed a first-of-its-kind agreement for Hermes 2, a 50-MW advanced molten salt reactor slated to begin operations in 2030 in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The deal marks the first U.S. utility PPA for electricity from a Gen IV reactor and will deliver 24/7 carbon-free energy to power Google’s expanding data centers in Tennessee and Alabama. Courtesy: Kairos Power
Google partners with Kairos Power to build a nuclear reactor in Tennessee for carbon-free energy.

Overview

  • TVA will purchase up to 50 MW from Kairos Power’s Hermes 2 plant in Oak Ridge to feed its grid serving Google facilities in Tennessee and Alabama.
  • The companies target a 2030 startup, with an NRC operating license still required after last year’s construction permit.
  • The project launches a program to develop up to 500 MW of advanced nuclear capacity for Google through multiple small modular reactors.
  • Google will procure the plant’s clean‑energy attributes through TVA to match local demand with hourly carbon‑free power.
  • Kairos’ fluoride‑salt‑cooled reactor uses HALEU‑based TRISO fuel, and workforce training is planned with the University of Tennessee.