A nuclear reactor developer with a significant footprint in Tennessee announced the Nuclear Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Precast (NuCAMP), which will partner with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), educational institutions in West Tennessee, and major companies to train the workforce needed to build cutting-edge reactors.
According to the company’s Tuesday announcement, NuCAMP will involve a 12-month exploration phase for the companies and schools to “develop programs to qualify advanced manufacturing construction messages for nuclear applications and create career pathways for engineers and skilled tradespeople to put those methods into practice.”
Kairos said educational institutions, organizations, and companies that signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for NuCAMP include ORNL, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, Barnard Construction, Roane State Community College, Chattanooga State Community College, and Oak Ridge Schools.
“Delivering affordable advanced reactors at scale will require more than a strong design. We need innovative manufacturing processes, the code basis to qualify them, and people with the right skills to apply them in building new nuclear facilities,” stated Kairos co-founder and CTO Ed Blandford, adding that NuCAMP would combine “industry perspectives with the R&D power of our national labs and the strength of our academic partners.”
U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03) confirmed he attended Kairos’ event announcing NuCAMP in a post to X, calling the consortium a “big step forward” for East Tennessee.
“NuCAMP will provide critical training for our skilled workforce, helping to pave the way for advanced nuclear reactors,” wrote Fleischmann. “This is a big step forward for our region and a testament to East Tennessee’s leadership in nuclear innovation.”
I'm excited to see @KairosPower announce NuCAMP, an initiative focused on advancing new manufacturing and construction methods right here in East Tennessee. NuCAMP will provide critical training for our skilled workforce, helping to pave the way for advanced nuclear reactors.… pic.twitter.com/X6XLIcnxtB
— Chuck Fleischmann (@RepChuck) August 18, 2026
Speaking at the event, Fleischmann reportedly said NuCAMP was about Kairos developing a workforce and supply chain for nuclear projects in Tennessee.
“Kairos is building a workforce, a domestic supply chain,” said Fleischmann, according to WATE. When I meet with companies all over the world and all over our state, and they decide to come here, they ask me about workforce and supply chain.”
Earlier this year, Kairos broke ground on a new Hermes 2 plant in Oak Ridge, which will eventually provide more than 50 megawatts of power to the Tennessee Valley Authority’s electrical grid.
The announcement comes only weeks after Tennessee was named as one of five finalists that could be selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to host a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
