Samsung C&T is expanding its small modular reactor (SMR) business beyond conventional light-water reactor technology through a strategic partnership with U.S. advanced nuclear developer Kairos Power.
Samsung C&T’s construction division said on Sept. 22 that it will sign a strategic agreement with Kairos Power to cooperate on the demonstration and commercialization of next-generation SMR technology. The agreement is scheduled to be signed on Sept. 23 during Climate Week NYC in New York, with senior executives from both companies expected to attend.
As part of the partnership, Samsung C&T plans to invest approximately $70 million in Kairos Power and participate in the company’s Hermes demonstration reactor project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The collaboration is designed to cover the project from the demonstration stage through potential commercial deployment.
Founded in 2016, Kairos Power is developing an advanced reactor that uses molten salt as a coolant. Unlike conventional light-water reactors, which rely on water and high-pressure operation, molten-salt cooling allows the reactor to operate at relatively low pressure while maintaining high temperatures.
The technology could also broaden the potential uses of nuclear-generated heat beyond electricity production, including industrial heat supply and hydrogen production.
The Hermes project is targeting commercial operation in 2031. It is also notable as the first non-light-water reactor project in roughly five decades to receive a construction permit from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Samsung C&T will conduct design and constructability reviews for the demonstration reactor. The company is also positioned to secure priority rights to participate as an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor in future commercial reactors to be built in the United States.
The partnership marks an expansion of Samsung C&T’s existing SMR portfolio. The company has previously worked with U.S. SMR developers including NuScale and GE Vernova Hitachi, focusing primarily on light-water reactor technologies and projects in European markets such as Romania and Sweden.
Industry observers say the SMR market is increasingly moving from technology development toward demonstration and commercial deployment. Against this backdrop, securing both technology partnerships and project execution capabilities is becoming an important consideration for companies seeking to participate in the emerging market.
Samsung C&T and Kairos Power also plan to explore joint business opportunities in South Korea, Southeast Asia and Europe. Through the partnership, Samsung C&T aims to broaden its participation across the SMR value chain while strengthening its position in the global advanced nuclear market.
Lee Chang-wook, executive vice president and head of Samsung C&T’s Energy Solution Business Unit, said the agreement represents “an important milestone” in pursuing leadership in the next-generation nuclear market.
Mike Laufer, CEO of Kairos Power, said the two companies would combine Samsung C&T’s project execution capabilities with Kairos Power’s reactor technology to accelerate the commercialization of advanced nuclear power.
