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Google, Kairos Power and TVA Sign PPA for Hermes 2 Advanced Nuclear Reactor

The deal paves the way for 50 MW of molten-salt small modular reactor output on TVA’s grid by 2030 under U.S. regulatory review.

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
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
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Overview

  • Under the agreement, TVA will purchase 50 MW from Kairos Power’s Hermes 2 demonstration plant in Oak Ridge beginning in 2030, and Google will secure the reactor’s clean-energy attributes for its Tennessee and Alabama data centers.
  • Hermes 2 represents the first U.S. utility power purchase agreement for a Generation IV nuclear reactor, leveraging a molten-salt cooling system instead of water.
  • Kairos Power has obtained Nuclear Regulatory Commission construction permits for the Oak Ridge site but must still secure an operating license and complete full regulatory clearances to meet the planned startup.
  • The Department of Energy has supported Kairos through its Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, offering technical and regulatory assistance for commercial deployment.
  • Local partnerships with the University of Tennessee and other institutions will develop workforce training programs as Oak Ridge reestablishes itself as a nuclear innovation hub.