KEMMERER, WY — TerraPower, a nuclear innovation company, announces the official start of construction on its flagship Natrium plant1, Kemmerer Unit 1. Kemmerer Unit 1 is on track to be the first utility-scale advanced nuclear power plant in the United States.
This historic moment follows the successful issuance of a construction permit by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and represents the culmination of years of innovation, engineering, and site preparation.
"This is the moment our industry has been working toward for a generation. We're not just breaking new ground on a first-of-a-kind nuclear plant in Wyoming; we're building the next generation of America's energy infrastructure," said Chris Levesque, President and CEO of TerraPower. "The Natrium plant will deliver reliable and dispatchable power to the grid, and Kemmerer Unit 1 will serve as a commercial blueprint to mobilize a fleet of Natrium plants across the country and around the world."
"The start of construction on TerraPower's Natrium plant in Kemmerer marks a major milestone not just for Wyoming, but for the future of American energy," Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon said. "I want to thank everyone at TerraPower for their work getting to this day. Wyoming has long powered this country, and today we are leading again, this time in next-generation nuclear technology. This project reflects our commitment to reliable energy, good-paying jobs, and a future built on innovation and Wyoming values."
"Bechtel is proud to partner with TerraPower as the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor on the Natrium advanced reactor," said Dena Volovar, President of Bechtel's Nuclear, Security, and Environmental business. "The start of construction at Kemmerer Unit 1 marks an important step forward for the project and for the next generation of U.S. nuclear energy. By combining TerraPower's reactor innovation with Bechtel's processes, experience, and execution model, we will deliver these nuclear projects consistently, safely, and at scale. By applying the latest digital tools and project delivery systems, Bechtel is uniquely positioned to deliver the nation's first Natrium plant with efficiency and execution certainty."
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With this milestone, TerraPower is mobilizing a workforce of roughly 1,600 workers to begin plant construction, bringing the first Natrium reactor and energy storage system one step closer to fruition. Once operational, it is expected to employ approximately 250 full-time staff.
The plant features a 345-megawatt (MW) sodium-cooled fast reactor with an integrated molten salt-based energy storage system. The storage technology can boost energy output to 500 MW of power when needed, equivalent to the amount of energy needed to power around 400,000 homes. The energy storage capability is designed to keep base output steady, ensuring constant reliability, and can quickly ramp up when demand peaks. It is the only advanced reactor design with this unique feature.
This first Natrium plant is being developed through the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, a public-private partnership. When complete, the project will be the first utility-scale advanced nuclear power plant in the U.S. and Wyoming's first-ever commercial nuclear generating station. The project has been under active development since TerraPower broke ground on the greenfield site in June 2024 and began construction on non-nuclear support facilities.
TerraPower is rapidly commercializing the Natrium technology, which includes an agreement with Meta for up to eight Natrium plants by 2035.
