Lummis Celebrates Another Step Toward America’s First Next-Gen Reactor In Wyoming
Wyoming just inched closer to hosting one of the most watched energy projects in the world. On Monday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced that its staff has completed the final safety evaluation for TerraPower’s proposed Kemmerer Power Station, the advanced Natrium reactor that could replace part of the retiring Naughton coal plant.
The key takeaway from NRC staff: There are no safety concerns that would prevent issuing the construction permit. That approval now moves into the hands of the NRC’s commissioners, who will make the final call.
Sen. Cynthia Lummis quickly praised the news, calling it another major step in positioning Wyoming as a leader in next generation nuclear technologies. According to Lummis, the project represents hundreds of future jobs for Kemmerer and critical progress in building stable, reliable baseload power that does not depend on volatile global energy markets.
Why This Matters For Wyoming
If approved, the Kemmerer project would be the first commercial Natrium reactor in the United States. Developed by TerraPower, the firm founded by Bill Gates, the Natrium design pairs a sodium-cooled fast reactor with a molten salt energy storage system. The idea is simple. Produce steady, carbon-free electricity and then boost output when the grid needs it most.
For Wyoming, the project symbolizes three things:
1. A transition opportunity for coal communities.
Kemmerer has lived through the boom-and-bust swings of coal for decades. The Natrium project would be located directly next to the Naughton power station, giving the area a potential second chapter built around high-skill energy jobs.
2. National energy leadership.
Advanced nuclear is one of the most talked about technologies in Washington energy circles. Wyoming would not just be participating. It would be leading the country.
3. A long term economic anchor.
Unlike many large projects that move on after construction, a nuclear facility anchors a workforce, tax base and local spending for generations.
What Happens Next
The NRC commissioners will now review the completed safety evaluation and vote on whether to issue the construction permit. TerraPower must then receive additional approvals before breaking ground, followed by a separate operating license later in the decade.
Even with aggressive scheduling, commercial operation is not expected until around 2030.
Wyoming has seen a surge in national attention on this project in recent months. The NRC issued its final Environmental Impact Statement in October and found no major environmental barriers. Industry observers have been calling this project a “bellwether” for the viability of advanced reactor technologies in the United States.
TIMELINE: The Road From Coal To Next-Gen Nuclear In Kemmerer
2018
• Rocky Mountain Power announces long term plans to retire units at the Naughton coal plant.
• TerraPower and GE Hitachi continue development of the Natrium reactor concept.
June 2021
• Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon announces that TerraPower has selected Wyoming for its first advanced nuclear demonstration project.
November 2021
• Kemmerer is chosen as the specific site for the Natrium reactor, located near the retiring Naughton plant.
2022
• TerraPower begins early site work and community engagement.
• Federal support expands through the DOE Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.
January 2023
• TerraPower files the formal Construction Permit Application with the NRC.
2023–2024
• NRC conducts initial safety and environmental scoping.
• TerraPower responds to hundreds of technical questions and document requests.
October 2025
• NRC releases the Final Environmental Impact Statement, finding no major environmental obstacles.
December 1, 2025
• NRC staff completes the Final Safety Evaluation Report, concluding there are no safety issues preventing issuance of a construction permit.
Early 2026 (expected)
• NRC commissioners vote on whether to approve the construction permit.
2027–2030 (projected)
• Construction phase, testing and additional regulatory reviews.
• Operating license application filed and evaluated.
2030 (target)
• Kemmerer Power Station projected to begin commercial operation, becoming the nation’s first Natrium reactor.
My Take
This is one of those rare stories where Wyoming finds itself at the center of the national energy conversation. Ten years ago, few would have believed that a global technology demonstration reactor would be built outside a town of 2,600 people best known for coal mining and the original J.C. Penney store. Yet here we are.
Whether you are excited, skeptical or somewhere in between, the Kemmerer project is shaping up to be one of the most important Wyoming energy stories of the next decade. And with each regulatory milestone, the national spotlight grows brighter.
AntlersArch founder and the voice behind Teton Tattle.
