Construction has officially begun on TerraPower\u2019s Kemmerer Unit 1 in Wyoming, marking a key step in the company\u2019s push to build what it describes as the United States\u2019 first utility-scale advanced nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n
The Natrium-based facility follows regulatory clearance and years of site preparation.<\/p>\n
The project comes after the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a construction permit for the plant. <\/p>\n
TerraPower said early site work had already started in 2024, but this phase represents the formal start of full-scale construction activity at the site.<\/p>\n
The Kemmerer facility is designed around TerraPower\u2019s Natrium reactor concept, which combines a sodium-cooled fast reactor with an integrated energy storage system. <\/p>\n
The company says the design is aimed at providing flexible power output for grid demand.<\/p>\n
According to the company, the project is being developed under the U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, a public-private initiative supporting next-generation nuclear systems.<\/p>\n
Wyoming energy push<\/p>\n
Wyoming officials framed the development as part of the state\u2019s long energy history and its role in uranium production and power generation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the moment our industry has been working toward for a generation. We\u2019re not just breaking new ground on a first-of-a-kind nuclear plant in Wyoming; we\u2019re building the next generation of America\u2019s energy infrastructure,\u201d said Chris Levesque, president and CEO of TerraPower. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Natrium plant will deliver reliable and dispatchable power to the grid <\/a>and Kemmerer Unit 1 will serve as a commercial blueprint to mobilize a fleet of Natrium plants across the country and around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe start of construction on TerraPower\u2019s Natrium plant in Kemmerer marks a major milestone not just for Wyoming, but for the future of American energy,\u201d said Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon. <\/p>\n \u201cWyoming has long powered this country, and today we are leading again, this time in next-generation nuclear technology.\u201d<\/p>\n Workforce build begins<\/p>\n TerraPower said around 1,600 construction workers will be mobilized during peak building activity, with about 250 permanent jobs expected once the plant becomes operational.<\/p>\n The Natrium system includes a 345-megawatt sodium-cooled reactor paired with molten salt-based energy storage.<\/p>\n The storage system is designed to allow the plant to increase output to 500 megawatts during peak demand periods.<\/p>\n The project has support from federal agencies and industry partners involved in nuclear development<\/a> and construction.<\/p>\n \u201cThe United States needs more reliable baseload power now,\u201d said U.S. Senator John Barrasso. <\/p>\n