A nuclear reactor in Wyoming backed by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett is taking shape near Kemmerer in southwestern Wyoming. The project supports a broader US push to expand advanced nuclear power.
TerraPower is developing the Natrium project with about $2 billion in taxpayer support. The company aims to begin producing electricity within roughly four years.
TerraPower says its design could allow faster construction than traditional nuclear plants. The project is also expected to create about 1,600 temporary construction jobs and up to 300 permanent positions.
The development has brought more workers and customers to Kemmerer as the local coal industry faces decline. Nearby mine owners have warned that operations could shut down within about a decade without new customers.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said advanced nuclear technology could support industry and strengthen energy security. The Trump administration has also promoted smaller reactors for civilian and military use.
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TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque said the company plans to build more than 100 reactors worldwide. Natrium uses molten sodium to move heat from the reactor to a separate steam turbine.
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Critics have raised concerns about safety, radioactive waste and the pace of deployment. Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists said the industry still faces unresolved safety and waste-storage challenges.
Workers began preparing non-nuclear parts of the site in June 2024. Construction later expanded to the nuclear site, but the reactor building had not yet started, and no nuclear fuel was present when the source reported on the project.
