Kemmerer, Wyoming – Construction has begun on TerraPower’s 345-megawatt electric (MWe) Natrium nuclear reactor near the site of PacifiCorp’s retiring Naughton coal-fired power plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming. This marks a significant step in the United States’ efforts to transition from fossil fuels to advanced nuclear energy, aiming to bring the innovative sodium-cooled fast reactor online by 2030.
The project, backed by Bill Gates-founded TerraPower and GE Hitachi, represents the first advanced non-light water nuclear reactor to move from design into construction in the U.S. It aims to repurpose existing energy infrastructure and workforce, offering a blueprint for other coal-dependent communities seeking a clean energy future.
TerraPower’s Natrium Reactor: A New Era for Nuclear Energy
The Natrium reactor is a advanced sodium-cooled fast reactor designed by TerraPower in partnership with GE Hitachi. Its design includes a molten salt energy storage system that can temporarily boost output to 500 MWe, allowing the plant to integrate flexibly with renewable energy sources and meet peak demand. Initial construction activities are focused on non-nuclear site features, with nuclear construction awaiting approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
The facility in Kemmerer will consist of two adjacent parts: an “energy island” and a “nuclear island.” The energy island, which stores excess heat to increase electricity output during high demand, has received an exemption from the NRC to proceed with certain activities, such as driving piles and installing foundations. The nuclear island, housing the reactor itself, is planned to begin construction in 2026, with full construction anticipated to take five years.
The project is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration program and is estimated to cost approximately $4 billion, with the DOE supplying half of the cost.
The Broader Trend: Coal-to-Nuclear Transitions
The Kemmerer project is part of a growing national interest in converting retiring coal power plant sites into advanced nuclear facilities. Studies by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) highlight that nearly 80% of retired and operational coal plants are suitable for such conversions. This transition offers multiple benefits, including reducing carbon emissions, leveraging existing transmission infrastructure, and retaining skilled workforces in communities historically reliant on coal.
Economic and Environmental Advantages
Repurposing coal plant sites for nuclear power can lead to significant economic and environmental gains:
- Job Creation: A converted coal-to-nuclear plant can create more than 650 permanent jobs, with many positions directly transferable from coal to nuclear with cross-training. These nuclear plant jobs often offer higher wages, boosting local tax revenue.
- Cost Savings: Reusing existing infrastructure such as transmission lines, switchyards, cooling water systems, and administrative buildings can reduce construction costs for new nuclear plants by 15% to 35%.
- Emissions Reduction: Replacing coal combustion with nuclear fission can reduce regional emissions by up to 86%, directly improving air quality and contributing to decarbonization goals.
- Grid Reliability: Advanced nuclear reactors provide stable, baseload power with zero carbon emissions, complementing intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
Other Advanced Reactor Technologies and Projects
While TerraPower’s Natrium reactor leads the way in Kemmerer, other companies and technologies are also exploring coal-to-nuclear conversions:
- NuScale Power: NuScale’s small modular reactors (SMRs) are another promising technology, with its design being the first SMR to receive federal approval from the U.S. NRC. NuScale SMRs are designed to be scalable and can also repurpose significant portions of existing coal plant infrastructure.
- X-energy and Holtec International: These companies are also evaluating the possibility of repurposing coal-fired facilities with their advanced reactor designs, the Xe-100 and SMR-160, respectively.
The Future of Energy: Fusion Power on the Horizon
Beyond fission reactors, the concept of repurposing retired fossil fuel sites extends to cutting-edge fusion technology. In a separate, yet equally significant development, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has partnered with Type One Energy to explore developing a 350 MWe nuclear fusion power plant at the decommissioned Bull Run Fossil Plant near Knoxville, Tennessee. This proposed Infinity Two power plant would utilize stellarator fusion technology and aims for operation by the mid-2030s. Such projects underscore the long-term vision of leveraging existing energy infrastructure for entirely new, carbon-free power sources.
Challenges and Outlook
Despite the compelling advantages, coal-to-nuclear transitions face challenges, including complex regulatory processes and the significant capital investment required for new nuclear construction. However, recent legislative and regulatory advancements, such as the ADVANCE Act, aim to streamline the NRC’s licensing process and clarify regulatory frameworks for these conversions. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office is also providing financial backing for nuclear energy projects, further accelerating this transition.
The conversion of former coal plants into advanced nuclear power generation sites, exemplified by TerraPower’s project in Wyoming, represents a pivotal strategy in the nation’s clean energy transition, promising a future of reliable, zero-carbon electricity while revitalizing local economies.
