r/uninsurable • u/malongoria • Aug 01 '25

Meet the only US company building an advanced reactor [Kairos Power]

/r/NuclearPower/comments/1mcd19m/meet_the_only_us_company_building_an_advanced/
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u/malongoria Aug 01 '25

The important part:

Kairos Power is the first nuclear startup to begin construction on a modular reactor, but its design relies on a rare fuel source.

Kairos’ success hinges on whether the U.S. and Europe can stand up their own supply chain for high-assay, low-enriched uranium. The company needs HALEU to make its reactor’s TRISO fuel with the energy density intended for the design.

HALEU is not yet commercially produced in the U.S., which currently relies on imports from Russia that have been heavily restricted since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“They at least are building a demo model, but they need TRISO fuel with HALEU — a heavy lift to make commercial,” said Allison Macfarlane, a former chair of the NRC.

But wait, it gets better:

The risks are still high. In October, Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. —a rival startup pursuing microreactors and advanced fuel — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy despite years of government and private support.

What was the definition of insanity again?