TerraPower CEO Says Kemmerer Nuclear Plant Will Attract Data Centers
TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque said the company’s advanced nuclear plant under construction near Kemmerer could attract data centers and potentially support additional reactors. The $4 billion Natrium project has received a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission construction permit and is expected to begin operating in 2030, despite a two-year delay and the departure of lead contractor Bechtel.
TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque said the company’s 345-megawatt Natrium reactor near Kemmerer could attract data centers seeking reliable electricity. He said data center demand could eventually support construction of a second or third reactor. The project, backed by Bill Gates and linked to a development agreement with Meta for as many as eight additional reactors, is expected to be completed in 2030.
Gates, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, Sen. John Barrasso, Idaho Gov. Brad Little and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox toured the site as TerraPower moved from excavation toward vertical construction. The project has received a construction permit from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and up to $2 billion in federal cost-sharing, but its schedule has slipped by two years because of federal permitting and fuel-supply challenges. Bechtel recently withdrew as lead contractor, creating uncertainty around peak construction employment, though state officials said they do not anticipate further delays.