Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Terrapower Natrium Project topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
TerraPower updates committee: Natrium project proceeds, energy island work to start this year
Summary
TerraPower officials told Wyoming legislators the Natrium demonstration reactor near Kemmerer is advancing: non‑nuclear site work and training facilities are under way, energy‑island construction is slated to begin later this year and the company expects a construction permit for the nuclear island in late 2026 with commercial completion targeted
TerraPower representatives and local elected officials told the Minerals committee that construction and training work for the Natrium demonstration project in Kemmerer is underway and that the company plans phased construction tied to NRC licensing.
Andrew Richards, vice president for government affairs at TerraPower, said the project is a public‑private partnership supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and Rocky Mountain Power. "The Natrium reactor is a 345 megawatt electric sodium cooled fast reactor paired with a molten salt storage system," Richards said. He described the plant as a demonstration that delivers dependable base‑load power and can ramp output to 500 megawatts for short periods to support grid reliability.
Richards told the committee that TerraPower began non‑nuclear support construction in January 2025 with a sodium test and fill facility already under way, and that the company expects to start construction of the Energy Island later this year after state approvals. He said TerraPower submitted a construction permit application to the NRC in March 2024 (accepted in May 2024) and anticipates a construction permit for the nuclear island in late 2026; the company is targeting reactor completion in 2030.
Local officials from Natrona County, Gillette and Casper emphasized workforce and economic development. Dave North, Natrona County commissioner, said "the majority of my constituents that have reached out to me are in support of this" and urged officials to address public questions about long‑term storage and public safety through education and discussion. The mayor of Gillette told the committee his city is prepared to "become the national epicenter of small modular reactors, microreactor manufacturing, and the next generation nuclear fuel development," and urged state matching funds to keep companies from relocating to other states.
Casper City Council members and the Casper vice mayor said the city would provide letters of support and noted local career and technical education partnerships. The Wyoming Mining Association said TerraPower had discussed future sourcing of Wyoming uranium with producers and that the project could expand a market for local miners.
Committee members flagged topics for further work: water and infrastructure needs in Kemmerer, community engagement and surveys of local sentiment, and workforce training pipelines through community colleges and high‑school career programs. TerraPower representatives said they will continue outreach, noted an exemption confirming some Energy Island work falls outside NRC licensing, and reiterated that nuclear‑island construction will not begin until federal licensing is complete.
