NRC issues construction permit for first Natrium plant

The technology

The Bill Gates-chaired company's Natrium 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor has a molten-salt-based energy storage system which allows it to temporarily boost output to 500 MWe when needed, enabling the plant to follow daily electric load changes and integrate seamlessly with fluctuating renewable resources.

The licensing process

TerraPower submitted its construction permit application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in March 2024 and it was docketed by the NRC and the formal review began in May 2024. The NRC established an initial 27-month review schedule, however the review was completed in 18 months after a streamlined mandatory hearing process.

TerraPower began non-nuclear construction for the Kemmerer, Wyoming, plant in June 2024, and expects the project - which is near a retiring coal plant - to be complete in 2030. It is being developed through the US Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.

The NRC said it was the first commercial reactor approved for construction for nearly a decade and the first non-light water reactor in more than 40 years: "This is a historic step forward for advanced nuclear energy in the United States and reflects our commitment to delivering timely, predictable decisions grounded in a rigorous and independent safety review," said NRC Chairman Ho Nieh.

TerraPower's President and CEO, Chris Levesque, said: "Today is a historic day for the United States' nuclear industry. This is the first commercial-scale, advanced nuclear plant to receive this permit. Our team has worked relentlessly for over 4 years with the NRC staff to get to this moment. We had extensive pre-application engagement with the NRC; and we submitted a robust and thorough construction permit application almost 2 years ago. We have spent thousands of manpower hours working to achieve this momentous accomplishment."

What’s next?

Levesque said: "We plan to start construction on the Natrium plant in the coming weeks and look forward to bringing the first Natrium reactor and energy storage system to market in the great state of Wyoming."

The NRC said that TerraPower subsidiary US SFR Owner would need to submit a separate operating licence application which would need NRC approval before the facility could operate.

Last month, social media giant Meta announced that its future nuclear energy plans included funding to support the development in the USA of up to eight Natrium sodium fast reactors - two new units capable of generating up to 690 MW of firm power with delivery as early as 2032, plus the rights for energy from up to six other Natrium units capable of producing 2.1 GW and targeted for delivery by 2035.

The Natrium reactor is a TerraPower and GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy technology. Last month it was accepted into the UK's Generic Design Assessment process.