The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will complete its review of TerraPower's construction permit application for the Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 by the end of this year. That’s an accelerated timeline by six months for the company’s Wyoming nuclear reactor project.
The expedited schedule is a notable milestone for the Bill Gates-backed nuclear innovation company, which submitted the first construction permit application for a commercial advanced reactor to the NRC in March 2024.
The 345-megawatt Natrium reactor will be built near the Naughton coal-fired power plant in Lincoln County.
"The agency has looked at the available information and given the additional guidance that we have received through both the ADVANCE Act and from the recent executive orders, the agency determined that it would be appropriate to move up the timetable for completing our review," NRC spokesman Scott Brunell told Cowboy State Daily.
ADVANCE stands for the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024.
The acceleration comes as part of broader federal efforts to streamline nuclear regulatory processes.
President Donald Trump's executive orders signed in May support faster deployment of advanced nuclear energy in the United States, building on the existing Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.
While putting the nuclear project in the fast lane is good news for TerraPower, it also means preparations to accommodate an influx of workers to build it has to happen faster.
Responding to news of the sped-up timeline, a homebuilder with projects planned for Kemmerer said his company is prepared to run crews in two shifts.
Local leaders told Cowboy State Daily that Kemmerer city government wants to help homebuilders meet what’s expected to be a huge demand for housing that coincides with the construction of the nuclear facility.
“We can crank out 30-plus homes in a month if needed,” said Eric Schaefer, chief business development officer for Fading West Development.
TerraPower has begun construction on portions of its Kemmerer nuclear facility that don't require approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (Courtesy TerraPower) 
TerraPower has begun construction on portions of its Kemmerer nuclear facility that don't require approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (Courtesy TerraPower) 
TerraPower has begun construction on portions of its Kemmerer nuclear facility that don't require approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (Courtesy TerraPower) 
TerraPower has begun construction on portions of its Kemmerer nuclear facility that don't require approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (Courtesy TerraPower)
Why Rush?
For Wyoming residents who might be concerned about the accelerated timeline, the NRC offers its safety-first mantra.
"The agency's focus remains making sure that it would be appropriate to issue a construction permit for this project based on the information available,” Burnell said. “And the detailed analysis that we do to ensure we fully understand any potential environmental impacts, and that we understand how the plants would be constructed in such a way that continues to protect public health and safety.”
The schedule acceleration coincides with the opening of a public comment period on the draft environmental impact (EIS) statement for the Kemmerer project. The NRC is requesting public input on the environmental analysis through Aug. 4.
The draft EIS, issued in June, evaluates the public health impacts of constructing the Natrium reactor. After reviewing environmental, economic, technical and other factors, the NRC’s preliminary recommendation supports issuing the construction permit unless safety issues arise.
While the NRC has streamlined its review process, several technical issues still require resolution before a construction permit can be issued. This includes looking at materials, important design components and design approaches for seismic and structural systems.
"There is the responsibility on TerraPower as part to continue to answer any other questions we might have as completely and as quickly as possible," Brunell said.
The accelerated timeline depends on TerraPower's continued commitment to resolving any technical matters promptly, according to a July 1 NRC letter to the company.
Construction Underway
TerraPower has already begun construction on portions of the Kemmerer facility that don't require NRC approval.
In May 025, the NRC granted an exemption allowing the company to start work on what it calls the "energy island" — the non-nuclear components of the plant that includes its molten salt energy storage system.
This energy storage technology represents a key innovation of the Natrium design, allowing the plant to boost its output from 345 MW to 500 MW when electricity demand peaks. The system is designed to provide steady baseline power while quickly ramping up during periods of high demand.
TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque praised the schedule acceleration.
"TerraPower is pleased to see a streamlined NRC permitting schedule that reduces our construction permit application review timeline from 26 to 19 months,” Levesque told Cowboy State Daily in a statement. “This acceleration reflects the strength of our application.
“We remain fully committed to engaging with the community and stakeholders as we advance the project.”
The Kemmerer project is being developed through the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program and is expected to be completed in 2030, making it the first utility-scale advanced nuclear power plant in the United States.
The facility is designed to eventually replace electricity generation capacity in the PacifiCorp service area following planned retirement of existing coal-fired facilities.
When asked if Kemmerer is ready for an accelerated construction schedule at the power plant, Mayor Robert Bowen told Cowboy State Daily the town is working to accommodate some of the workers and new residents by next spring.
“We are looking at a large number of tiny homes that should be able to go in quickly,” he said. “We are starting the discussion at our next zoning board meeting to look at an ordinance change” to potentially help with providing new housing.
David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.
