Bill Gates-founded TerraPower received approval from the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council (ISC) on its permit for the first Natrium1 plant, Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1, near Kemmerer, Wyo.
The permit covers all construction and operational activities on the Natrium plant that are not under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This is a significant milestone for the United States' "first mover" in the commercial advanced nuclear industry.
This approval will allow for the construction of non-nuclear facilities for the first-of-a-kind plant, including the energy island portion of the Natrium plant that houses the molten-salt energy storage tanks and turbines. With this permit complete, TerraPower will continue its aggressive construction schedule; and plans to start construction on both the Kemmerer Training Center and the energy island in 2025, as well as continue work on the sodium test and fill facility that began in 2024.
"This is the first state permit ever awarded to a commercial-scale advanced nuclear project and is a testament to the groundbreaking work of our TerraPower team," said Chris Levesque, president and CEO of TerraPower. "The regulatory process to bring new nuclear plants to fruition is robust, and our team has been working relentlessly to successfully maneuver through a complicated, multi-jurisdictional environment to bring the first Natrium plant to market. We greatly appreciate our relationship with the state of Wyoming, a leader in the energy industry and a model for the successful implementation of new energy projects."
TerraPower is the first and only advanced nuclear developer with a permit application for a commercial advanced reactor submitted to the NRC, the regulatory body that oversees all nuclear portions of the Natrium plant. That application was submitted in March 2024 and is on track for approval in December 2026. The unique Natrium design enables the company to start non-nuclear construction onsite during the NRC review.
In its application to the ISC, according to world-nuclear-news.org, TerraPower said: "Contingent upon obtaining approval from the ISC and securing all other required permits, building activities are planned to begin in March 2025 and continue for approximately 69 months. Nuclear fuel load is projected for fall of 2030 and commercial operation for the fall of 2031."
TerraPower is building this project through the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). Upon completion, the Natrium plant will be a fully functioning commercial power plant, located near a retiring coal-fired power plant, and is the only coal-to-nuclear project under development in the world.
The Natrium technology features an advanced nuclear design with a 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor with a gigawatt-scale molten salt-based energy storage system. The patented energy storage capability allows the plant to integrate seamlessly with renewable resources and an overall increase in grid resiliency. The innovative Natrium plant is the only advanced reactor design with this unique feature.
About TerraPower
TerraPower is a nuclear innovation company that strives to improve the world through nuclear energy and science. Since it was founded by Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries, TerraPower has emerged as an incubator and developer of ideas and technologies that offer energy independence, environmental sustainability, medical advancement and other opportunities.
For more information, visit terrapower.com.
