Samsung C&T Commits Up to $100 Million to Kairos Power Reactor Partnership

Samsung C&T has agreed to commit up to $100 million to a strategic partnership with U.S. advanced nuclear developer Kairos Power, as the Korean construction group seeks a larger role in the global market for next-generation small modular reactors.

The companies are set to sign the agreement during Climate Week NYC, which runs from Sept. 20 through Sept. 27. Their collaboration will focus on commercializing Kairos Power’s fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor technology, known as KP-FHR.

The planned commitment will combine a direct investment with in-kind engineering services and remains subject to regulatory approval. Kairos Power said the resources will support delivery of its Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Samsung C&T is expected to participate in design work and a constructability review for the Hermes demonstration reactor. The arrangement will also give the company priority to carry out engineering, procurement and construction work for future commercial reactors that Kairos Power plans to develop in the United States.

Hermes is the first non-light-water reactor in more than 50 years to receive a construction permit from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The project is targeting operations in 2031, making it a key test of whether advanced reactor designs can move from demonstration to repeatable commercial deployment.

Kairos Power’s design differs from conventional light-water reactors by using molten salt as a coolant. Advanced reactors based on molten salt or sodium can operate at higher temperatures under lower-pressure conditions. Developers argue that this approach can reduce the need for high-pressure equipment while improving operational safety and efficiency.

For Samsung C&T, the partnership adds a non-light-water technology to its small modular reactor portfolio and creates a path to future construction contracts. The company said it will also explore opportunities tied to the technology in South Korea, Southeast Asia and Europe.

Lee Chang-wook, head of Samsung C&T’s energy solution business unit, said the companies aim to support successful project delivery and establish a foundation for wider commercialization. Kairos Power Chief Executive Mike Laufer said Samsung C&T’s participation would strengthen the integrated capabilities needed to deliver advanced reactors with greater certainty over costs and schedules.

The deal places Samsung C&T alongside a U.S. developer pursuing one of the sector’s most closely watched demonstration programs. Its commercial value will ultimately depend on regulatory clearance, execution of Hermes 2 and Kairos Power’s ability to convert demonstration progress into a pipeline of full-scale projects.