Story perspectives

Bill Gates' Natrium Reactor Approved, Set for 2030

3/6/2026

Summary

Gates Advances Natrium Reactor

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved TerraPower's construction permit for a sodium-cooled Natrium reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming, marking the first commercial reactor approval in nearly a decade.
The project is backed by Bill Gates with a $4 billion budget.
The facility is expected to be operational by 2030.
It would power about 400,000 homes.
The Natrium design uses liquid sodium as a coolant to lower pressures and costs.

Summary

TerraPower Gains Approval

TerraPower has received approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build the world's first commercial small modular reactor in Wyoming.
The move marks the first new commercial nuclear plant approved in a decade.
The facility is backed by SK Innovation and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and aims to operate as a demonstration reactor by 2030.
The sodium-cooled design aims to improve efficiency and safety and reflects SK Group's view that SMRs are needed to support AI and data-center energy growth.

History

Historical Context

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the Watts Bar Unit 2 in 2012, marking the first new nuclear reactor construction in nearly 40 years. This decision followed a period of stagnation after the 1979 Three Mile Island accident, which halted many projects. The recent approval of TerraPower's Natrium reactor in Wyoming reflects a renewed interest in nuclear energy as a sustainable solution amid growing energy demands.

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Gates Advances Natrium Reactor

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved TerraPower's construction permit for a sodium-cooled Natrium reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming, marking the first commercial reactor approval in nearly a decade.
The project is backed by Bill Gates with a $4 billion budget.
The facility is expected to be operational by 2030.
It would power about 400,000 homes.
The Natrium design uses liquid sodium as a coolant to lower pressures and costs.

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