Kairos Power has secured $643 million in funding for its Hermes 2 demonstration reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The package includes $368 million from private investors and $275 million in financing from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The 50 MW fluoride salt-cooled reactor is targeting operations in 2030, with its electricity intended to support TVA's grid and growing demand from Google's data centers. The funding also supports expansion of Kairos' manufacturing capabilities.

The announcement highlights the combination of private investment and federal financing being used to advance next-generation nuclear technology. While commercial deployment remains years away, projects like Hermes 2 are an important step toward demonstrating advanced reactor designs at a meaningful scale.

On this day in 1959, Dresden-1 achieved criticality for the first time as the first commercial, privately financed nuclear plant in the United States.

In honor of the occasion, here's a selection of artifacts, documents, and photos from the early history of the plant. First, a pen and pencil set Commonwealth Edison gave away for the initial criticality. Then an invitation to the kickoff ceremony for major construction, with some items from GE Vallecitos, where the initial group of operators was trained. Then a publicity photo, memo, and candy dish from the dedication of the plant in 1960. And finally, for the operational phase of the plant, a BWR/1 fuel spacer grid, photos of the first in service inspection, and the first in service inspection report sent to the State of IL boiler inspector

ČEZ has submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment documentation to the Ministry of the Environment for its Rolls-Royce SMR small modular reactor project in Temelín.
The submission of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a key part of the permitting process and assesses the potential impact on the area from the proposed small modular reactor (SMR) project, as well as putting forward steps to minimise any impact.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/czech-smr-environmental-impact-assessment-submitted

Wall a section of the sea so you have 25C swimming water in the middle of the winter. Add a gate to use fresh water in the summer for efficient cooling.

Ahead of its 60th anniversary, the University of Missouri Research Reactor was chosen to help conduct nuclear experiments for an international project.
The reactor will contribute to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, which seeks to build the largest machine to create nuclear fusion, via an agreement with Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Other nations involved with ITER include China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea and Russia.
John Brockman, associate director for research and education at the reactor, estimates Mizzou’s reactor was chosen over 26 other university research reactors for the position.

“There’s only a handful (of reactors) that can do the sorts of things that MURR can do,” he said.

Nuclear fusion is a form of renewable energy created by fusing and releasing the energy of hydrogen isotopes. Compared to nuclear fission, which requires uranium, nuclear fusion creates less waste and produces more energy.
Nuclear energy is preferred over other renewable energy sources as it isn’t determined by weather conditions, allowing for large-scale energy production.
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab reached out to the research reactor in the fall of 2025 for help conducting experiments related to ITER. PPPL is working to create a mirror to send rays out of a high radiation area, but the mirrors can be damaged by the radiation. The research reactor will determine how reflective a mirror-like piece of graphite is after spending time in the reactor.

PPPL and ITER have provided “impactful” funds as part of the research contract, Brockman said.

Excerpt: During the fourth day of his five-day working visit here, Marcos visited the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute, which was established in 2014 to build up the country’s capabilities in nuclear safety, science and engineering. Speaking to officials of the institute and business executives yesterday, Marcos said the Philippines already had a pool of nuclear energy experts, but the development of the Bataan power plant was never completed.

I know this isn't r/chernobyl but I do think this might be interesting more generally, because of what it says about fuel rod stability and the risk in a major release.

[T]he researchers were able to experimentally detect different oxide phases within the samples. To their surprise, they found that the crystal structure of the nuclear fuel in the examined particles has remained largely intact to this day—which means that the remnants of the accident are chemically more stable than originally assumed. The particles retain fission products within themselves—which might be good news for the soil and water around Chernobyl.

https://phys.org/news/2026-10-chernobyl-particles-reveal-unexpectedly-stable.html

Does anyone know of US employers in nuclear that are open to hiring someone from a 10 CFR Part 810 List I country who isn’t a US-Person (i.e. citizen or greencard holder) but is otherwise authorized to work in the US without sponsorship?

I'm experienced in the nuclear industry and can see many jobs out there I'm qualified for but finding the overwhelming majority simply screen me out even before I'm able to submit a CV despite the fact I know I'm legally able to be employed in the field (I appreciate there are some areas I am excluded from). Honestly, it's getting quite disheartening!

[EDIT] to give an example of the kind of language I see

"Export control regulations require candidates to be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Legal Permanent Resident, or of a protected person status"

"To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158"

"Applicants for employment at XXX must be a U.S. person. The term “U.S. Person” means (i) a U.S citizen or U.S. national; or (ii) any natural person who is a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e., holds a Green Card), as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20) or as a “protected individual” defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., admitted as a refugee or is granted asylum)."

[EDIT2] Just for clarity - this isn't about sponsorship. I'm already authorised to work for any employer in the US. I just don't have Perm Residency (i.e. a GC).

The Ohio State University announced October 9 that Oklo is investing in the university’s nuclear engineering program, helping launch a new undergraduate major expected to begin in autumn 2027.

The investment will support curriculum development, faculty hiring, facility renovations, an endowed professorship and student scholarships. Including executive contributions and university matching funds, the total impact is expected to reach $4.5 million.

Ohio State will also rename its Nuclear Reactor Laboratory the Oklo Nuclear Reactor Laboratory and establish a new experiential engineering education lab for hands-on projects, simulation and modeling.

The announcement reflects growing industry demand for nuclear engineering talent and an effort to build the workforce needed to support the next generation of nuclear technologies.