A nuclear technology company founded by one of the world’s wealthiest individuals has received state approval for its first plant, officials announced.
TerraPower said earlier this month that the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council had authorized a permit for Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1, paving the way for additional construction at the site.
TerraPower’s Tech
TerraPower, established by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, says its proposed Natrium plant features an advanced design that would enable it to “seamlessly” integrate with renewable energy resources and bolster the overall resiliency of the electrical grid.
Construction Timetable
The WISC permit, the company said, applies to construction activities and operations at the southwestern Wyoming site that fall outside the jurisdiction of federal nuclear regulators.
The move allows TerraPower to begin building a training center and an “energy island” that would house the facility’s turbines and storage tanks. Those projects are set to get underway later this year, joining work on a sodium test and fill hub that is already in progress.
TerraPower said that its application for a commercial advanced reactor, filed last year, is on pact to be approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission by late next year.
"Coal-to-Nuclear”
The Kemmerer facility is located near a coal-fired power plant that is set for retirement, marking what officials said is the world’s sole “coal-to-nuclear” project.
Image credit: TerraPower
