News Summary

TerraPower, a nuclear technology company founded by Bill Gates, has begun construction on a new nuclear reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming. This marks the first new US commercial nuclear reactor in nearly a decade. The project involves the Natrium reactor design, which uses liquid sodium in a bid to reduce costs and time frames compared to traditional light-water reactors. TerraPower’s initiative is part of a broader push to develop more efficient and less costly nuclear facilities as alternative power sources, amidst increasing demands on the US energy infrastructure. The project, with an estimated cost of at least $4 billion, aims to provide safe, abundant, zero-carbon energy and is expected to become operational by 2031. The construction includes a test facility, a fuel fabrication building, and the reactor itself, with initial activities focusing on non-nuclear site features until full regulatory approval is obtained.