ML24101A217

Letter to Kairos Power, LLC-Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment for the Construction Permit for Hermes 2 Test Reactors

ML24101A217
Person / Time
Site:	Hermes  File:Kairos Power icon.png
Issue date:	04/19/2024
From:	Daniel Barnhurst NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ENRB
To:	Hastings P Kairos Power
References
Download: ML24101A217 (1)

Text

April 19, 2024

Peter Hastings, Vice President Regulatory Affairs and Quality Kairos Power, LLC 707 W Tower Ave Alameda, CA 94501

SUBJECT:

NOTIFICATION OF THE ISSUANCE OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DRAFT FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PERMIT REVIEW FOR THE KAIROS HERMES 2 TEST REACTORS IN OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE (DOCKET NUMBERS:

50-611 AND 50-612)

Dear Vice President Peter Hastings:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is reviewing a construction permit (CP) application submitted by Kairos Power, LLC (Kairos) for two non-power test reactors referred to collectively as Hermes 2. The application was submitted by Kairos in a letter dated July 14, 2023 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) ML23195A121),

pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 50. The two CPs, if issued, would authorize the construction of the two Hermes 2 reactors on a 185-acre site located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, adjacent to the Hermes reactor, for which Kairos received a CP from the NRC in 2023 (ML23338A258). The Hermes 2 reactors would demonstrate additional key elements of the Kairos Power Fluoride Salt-Cooled, High Temperature Reactor Technology for possible future commercial deployment.

As part of the review of this CP application, the NRC has completed a draft environmental assessment (EA) and a draft finding of no significant impact (FONSI) that consider the environmental impacts associated with issuing the CPs. The draft EA and draft FONSI are publicly available from the NRCs ADAMS as ML24103A002. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC website at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams .html. Based on the environmental review, the NRC has made a preliminary determination that the proposed action would not significantly affect the quality of the human environment and, therefore, a draft FONSI appears warranted, and an environmental impact statement (EIS) will not be prepared.

A notice of availability for the draft EA and draft FONSI will be published by the Office of the Federal Register which will initiate a 30-day comment period. The NRC requests that you submit any information, comments, or concerns you may have on the draft EA and draft FONSI during the 30-day comment period. Comments can be submitted: (1) by e-mail to Kairos-Hermes2Environmental@nrc.gov; or (2) by U.S. mail to: Office of Administration, Mail Stop:

TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, ATTN:

P. Hastings 2

Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff. After consideration of public comments received, as well as information received through consultation, the NRC will decide whether to issue a final FONSI for this proposed action or to prepare an EIS.

If you have any questions concerning the NRC staffs environmental review of this CP application, please contact Peyton Doub via phone at (301) 415-6703 or via email at Peyton.Doub@nrc.gov or Mary Richmond at 301-415-7218 or via email at Mary.Richmond@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

Signed by Barnhurst, Daniel on 04/19/24

Daniel Barnhurst, Chief Environmental Project Management Branch 3 Division of Rulemaking, Environment, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Docket Nos: 50-611 and 50-612

Enclosure:

As stated

ML24101A217 *via email OFFICE PM:REFS LA:REFS OGC (NLO)

NAME MRichmondAWalker-Smith AGhosh Naber*

DATE 04/11/2024 04/11/2024 04/16/2024 OFFICE BC:REFS NAME DBarnhurst DATE 04/19/2024