Trending Now - Wyoming Project Receives Historic Nuclear Reactor Construction Permit

WHO:

TerraPower, a nuclear energy startup founded by Bill Gates

Chris Levesque, President and CEO of TerraPower

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

WHAT:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its first construction permit for a commercial nuclear reactor in eight years on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.

TerraPower plans to build a sodium-cooled reactor in western Wyoming.

Construction is set to begin within weeks of the permit issuance.

The plant is expected to cost up to $4 billion.

The reactor has a capacity of 345 megawatts and can generate up to 500 megawatts at peak output.

The plant could provide electricity for up to 400,000 homes.

TerraPower's design includes a molten salt-based energy storage system.

WHERE:

The nuclear reactor will be built near Kemmerer, Wyoming, a town of about 2,500 people, located 130 miles (210 kilometers) northeast of Salt Lake City.

The site is where a coal-fired power plant is being converted to burn natural gas.

WHEN:

The construction permit was issued on March 4, 2026.

Construction is expected to be completed by 2030.

TerraPower filed for the permit in 2024.

WHY:

Bill Gates is interested in nuclear energy as a power source for electricity-hungry data centers related to artificial intelligence.

Gates believes nuclear energy can help address the climate crisis by using designs that minimize safety, fuel use, and waste handling issues.

HOW:

The reactor utilizes liquid sodium instead of water for cooling, which reduces shielding costs and allows operation at lower pressures.

The plant features a unique molten salt-based energy storage system to manage power output during demand spikes.

On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its first construction permit for a commercial nuclear reactor in eight years, allowing TerraPower, the nuclear energy startup founded by Bill Gates, to move forward with plans to build a sodium-cooled reactor near Kemmerer, Wyoming. The plant, which is expected to cost up to $4 billion and provide electricity for up to 400,000 homes, will feature a molten salt-based energy storage system and is set to begin construction within weeks, with completion anticipated by 2030. This innovative reactor design, which uses liquid sodium for cooling, aims to address the climate crisis while supporting the growing energy demands of data centers related to artificial intelligence.