Gates-Backed Natrium Reactor Secures Construction Permit in Wyoming

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission unanimously approved TerraPower’s construction permit for the Natrium reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming—the first new U.S. commercial reactor in about a decade—clearing the way for construction of a 345‑MW, sodium‑cooled design with a molten‑salt battery. The plant is expected to come online around 2031, backed by Bill Gates and supported by the Energy Department for partial cost sharing, though it still faces licensing, fuel, and cost‑overrun challenges as regulators continue to oversee its safety and deployment.