KEMMERER — State dignitaries, local residents, nuclear physicists, and the world’s sixth-richest man gathered in Kemmerer on Monday for the groundbreaking celebration of nuclear technology company TerraPower’s Natrium reactor demonstration project. When completed, Kemmerer will be home to the nation’s first commercial advanced nuclear reactor–meaning the historic coal town, population 2,393, is poised to be in the vanguard of the global race for next generation nuclear energy production.
The groundbreaking comes about two years after plans were first announced, marking the project’s move from design to construction. Though completion is still a half-decade away, local residents expressed excitement about the prospect of a boost in economic activity.
“I’m a little excited, and a little nervous. I hope it will be a good thing because this town needs something,” said Cherie Paulson, a former elementary school teacher in Kemmerer.
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The project has been closely watched by policymakers and energy advocates who believe nuclear power is an indispensable piece of national energy security.
In contrast to traditional “light water reactors,” the Natrium design is fueled with high-assay low-enriched uranium that’s up to five times as potent as traditional nuclear power plant fuel. It also uses liquid sodium metal to maintain reactor temperatures rather than water, making the design more sustainable and safe while allowing for unique heat storage able to boost output and better match demand.
“This groundbreaking represents the beginning of the next era of nuclear energy. The Natrium reactor is more than a design, it’s a plant coming to life that will support both the clean energy transition and our historic energy communities,” said Chris Levesque, TerraPower president and CEO. “Our innovative Natrium technology will provide dispatchable carbon-free energy, gigawatt-scale energy storage, and long-term jobs to the Lincoln County community.”
Still, the project is years from deployment and is only one piece of a larger nuclear energy supply chain that scientists and policymakers are pushing aggressively to onshore. The groundbreaking comes less than a month after the U.S. banned imports of Russian uranium, the globe’s the number one source of enriched uranium. The ban was led by Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso and championed by TerraPower, which called Russian uranium supplies “untenable” following the invasion of Ukraine, even as it forced the company to delay its deployment date by years while waiting for new enrichment suppliers to fill the gap.
In the meantime, local leaders and community members are celebrating a first phase that’s already begun to spur growth in a small Wyoming community.
“Today we celebrate a trifecta. This first-of-its-kind project is good for the community of Kemmerer-Diamondville, the State of Wyoming, and our nation. As Natrium moves boldly toward establishing a new domestic energy source, it offers the promise of hundreds of jobs, enhanced careers, and renewed vitality,” said Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon during the ceremony. “This project also demonstrates how good things can happen when the private and public sectors work together to solve problems. Advances made here will bolster Wyoming’s ability to produce another source of dispatchable power securely. In Wyoming we know energy — and we will continue to provide it to help keep our nation competitive and safe.”
Zakary Sonntag is an Energy & Environment reporter for the Star-Tribune. He can be reached at zakary.sonntag@trib.com
