Bill Gates backed firm plans first reactor at former Wyoming coal site
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has completed its final safety evaluation for TerraPower’s application to build its Natrium demonstration plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming, a statement said.
The NRC said no safety issues would preclude issuing a construction permit for the advanced reactor project, known as the Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1. The proposed facility would be built near an existing coal plant in Kemmerer.
The regulator said staff completed the technical review one month ahead of an “already accelerated” schedule.
Jeremy Groom, acting director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, said the agency aims to make licensing decisions for new advanced reactors within 18 months and thanked TerraPower for promptly addressing technical questions during the review.
The safety evaluation and final environmental impact statement will be forwarded to the Commission in the coming weeks for the final phase of the licensing process. The Commission will determine whether the staff’s findings support issuing the permit and will vote on whether to direct staff to grant authorisation.
TerraPower, founded by Bill Gates, is developing the Natrium technology which combines a 345-MW sodium-cooled fast reactor with a molten salt-based storage system, capable of increasing output to 500 MW during peak demand.
In March 2024, the company was the first developer to submit a construction permit application for a commercial advanced reactor to the NRC.
If the construction permit is approved, a separate operating licence application will be required before the demonstrator can begin operation, the NRC said.
In October, the NRC issued a favourable environmental impact statement for the project, marking the first time a commercial advanced reactor in the US has cleared that milestone.
The Natrium demonstration plant is being developed under the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Programme, which includes a seven-year $2bn (€1.7bn) federal funding agreement. TerraPower matches the investment for a total project cost of about $4bn.
Non-nuclear construction activities at the site began in July 2024.
