ML24284A171

NRC-002B - Kairos Power LLC, Construction Permit Application - General Information (July 14, 2023)

ML24284A171
Person / Time
Site:	Hermes  File:Kairos Power icon.png
Issue date:	07/14/2023
From:	Kairos Power, NRC/OGC
To:	NRC/SECY
SECY RAS
References
RAS 57144, 50-611-CP, 50-612-CP
Download: ML24284A171 (0)

Text

1 General Information (Non-Proprietary)

Consistent with 10 CFR 50.33(a)-(e), (h), and (j); 10 CFR 50.34(a)(9); and 10 CFR 50.55(a), the following general application information is provided.

Name of Applicant This construction permit application for a test reactor is submitted by Kairos Power LLC. All references herein to "Kairos Power" or "Kairos," as an entity, refer to Kairos Power LLC.

Address of Applicant The headquarters for Kairos Power LLC is located at 707 W. Tower Ave., Suite A, Alameda, CA 94501.

Description of Business Kairos Power is a mission-driven engineering company focused on the delivery of clean, affordable, and safe energy solutions through the integrated design, licensing, and demonstration of advanced reactor technology. Kairos Power LLC is developing and marketing nuclear power plant designs based on the Kairos Power fluoride salt-cooled, high temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology. The KP-FHR is a novel advanced reactor technology that leverages TRISO fuel in pebble form combined with a low-pressure fluoride-lithium-beryllium (Flibe) salt coolant.

Company Description Kairos Power LLC is the applicant for the construction permit and subsequent operating license for a two-unit test reactor and will own and operate the facility to be located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee in the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP).

Additional information regarding Kairos Power LLC is provided in Enclosure 4 to this letter and in Chapter 15 of the Safety Analysis Report.

License Type This application is for a construction permit for a utilization facility under 10 CFR 50. Kairos Power expects to apply for a future Class 104c operating license pursuant to 10 CFR 50.21(c) (for testing, research, and development activities), as well as future licenses for receipt, possession, and use of source material under 10 CFR 40, byproduct material under 10 CFR 30, and special nuclear material under 10 CFR 70. Kairos Power projects a 11-year operating period for each of the two test reactors.

Construction Schedule Kairos Power LLC is requesting NRC review and approval of the construction permit application by April 2025 to support construction of safety-related structures, systems, and components.

The earliest start date for construction is expected to be July 2025; the earliest projected date for completion of construction for the first unit is July 2027, and the latest projected date for completion of the first unit is December 2027. The completion of construction for the second unit is expected to be one year after the first unit.

NRC Staff Exhibit NRC-002B

2 General Information (continued)

Restricted Data or Other Defense Information This construction permit application does not include any Restricted Data or other defense information requiring separation from the remainder of the application in accordance with 10 CFR 50.33(j). Kairos Power will not permit any individual to have access to any facility to possess Restricted Data or classified National Security Information until the individual and/or facility has been approved for access under the provisions of 10 CFR Parts 25 and/or 95.

Technical Qualifications Kairos Power LLC was formed in 2016. At the time of submittal of the Hermes 2 Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Kairos Power has approximately 350 employees withthe majority having scientific and engineering backgrounds including disciplines such as nuclear, mechanical, electrical, chemical, industrial, materials, and thermal hydraulics. These scientists and engineers have backgrounds in engineering, operations, maintenance, licensing, and testing, with many having experience at national laboratories, utility nuclear plants, nuclear development vendors, and academia. Kairos Power has also drawn resources from other industries outside of nuclear power to provide diversity of ideas and approaches. Of the employees with scientific or engineering backgrounds, more than half have advanced degrees.

Kairos Power has a developed a robust testing program and is implementing a design-test-build approach to enhance the design process and confirm aspects of the design. This is an iterative process that provides learning at each stage of the design evolution and enhances the quality of the final design.

Kairos Power is also developing fabrication and construction experience as part of the design-test-build approach. This includes experience from several laboratory facilities as well as the Kairos Power Engineering Testing Unit, a non-nuclear facility that demonstrates the capability to design, fabricate, and construct an operational facility using molten fluoride coolant.

Kairos Power has also requested a construction permit for a separate non-power test reactor (Hermes).

That application has been recommended for approval by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards and NRC staff have completed and issued their final safety evaluation report. Kairos Power has engaged in pre-application interactions with the NRC staff for several years on the fluoride salt-cooled, high temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology. These interactions have included numerous technical and topical reports, and all topical report submittals have resulted in NRC approved safety evaluations. Pre-application engagement and review of the Hermes application have also included numerous audits and discussions focusing on detailed technical topics supporting both the Hermes design and the future KP-FHR commercial design, including several interactions with the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards.

This information demonstrates Kairos Powers technical qualifications to engage in the activities discussed in this application in accordance with NRC regulations, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.34(a)(9).