The ETU 3.0, built near the site of the Hermes low-power reactor, follows two prior test units. ETU 1.0, a full-scale, electrically heated prototype, completed over 2,000 hours of pumped salt operations, validating key systems and establishing production capabilities for the high-purity fluoride-lithium-beryllium (FLiBe) salt coolant. ETU 2.0 focused on modular construction, increasing the production of specialized reactor components at Kairos Power’s dedicated facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The ETU 3.0 reactor vessel, fabricated with Cambridge Vacuum Engineering and the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, utilized advanced electron beam welding to enhance production efficiency and precision. This approach supports Kairos Power’s goal of developing cost-effective, scalable manufacturing processes for future commercial reactors. The company is collaborating with Barnard Construction to build the ETU 3.0 facility, employing a streamlined construction sequence that positions oversized components before completing the structure.
Kairos Power CEO Mike Laufer stated: “Kairos Power’s novel contract with DOE allows us to remain agile while demonstrating continued progress as a responsible steward of public funding. ARDP support is helping us to move quickly through progressively sophisticated iterations, gaining essential learning that will enable commercial deployment of our advanced reactor technology on a meaningful timeline.”
The ETU 3.0 facility will serve as an operator training center and a testing platform for remote maintenance equipment, improving safety and efficiency for the Hermes reactor. It also includes a Modular Systems Facility for assembling and testing plant equipment. Kairos Power Vice President of Manufacturing Craig Gerardi noted: “The ability to test innovative production methods with our non-nuclear iterations is a game-changer for us. By serving as a vehicle to exercise the supply chain and gain construction proficiency, the ETU programme helps build confidence in our ability to deliver reactors for Kairos Power customers.”
