Wyoming has always been a state defined by energy. From the Powder River Basin to the uranium fields of the Gas Hills and Great Divide Basin, we have powered the nation for generations.
But today, as coal markets contract and global energy demand grows, Wyoming stands at a crossroads.
The question before us is simple: Will we lead the next chapter of American energy, or will we watch others seize the opportunity?
Nuclear power — especially the new generation of advanced and modular reactors — offers Wyoming a path not just to remain an energy leader, but to expand our economic strength, stabilize our communities, and secure a cleaner, more reliable energy future.
New Energy Frontier
Wyoming’s opportunity is not theoretical. It is already taking shape.
TerraPower’s Natrium advanced reactor, which is near the retiring coal plant in Kemmerer, represents one of the most significant energy investments in state history.
It is the one of the advanced non‑light‑water reactors currently being built in the Western Hemisphere, and it is designed to meet the demands of a modern, low‑carbon grid.
The project could employ roughly 1,600 workers during peak construction and about 250 permanent employees once operational.
This is not just an energy project; it is an economic lifeline.
As coal production has substantially declined, Wyoming has seen shrinking severance tax revenues and job losses that impact schools, infrastructure, and local businesses.
Nuclear power offers a way to diversify our identity as an energy producing state. Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are factory‑built, scalable, and designed for enhanced safety.
They can be deployed in communities that already have skilled energy workers, allowing Wyoming to transition—not surrender—its energy workforce.
Reliable, Zero‑Carbon, Built For Wyoming’s Grid
Unlike wind and solar, nuclear power, coal, and natural gas produce steady, dispatchable electricity.
This matters in states where winter storms can cripple transmission and where industrial customers depend on uninterrupted power.
Advanced reactors like Natrium also integrate thermal storage, allowing them to ramp output up or down to match demand—something no other carbon‑free technology can do at scale.
Wyoming’s uranium producers, long constrained by global markets, also stand to benefit.
The Natrium announcement has already renewed optimism among domestic producers who are ready to supply safe, reliable fuel for America’s next generation of reactors.
Safety, Promise Of Reusing Nuclear Fuel
One of the most persistent misconceptions about nuclear power is the idea that spent fuel is a dangerous, unmanageable liability.
In reality, advanced reactor designs can reuse fuel that traditional reactors classify as “spent.”
These technologies could extract additional energy from existing fuel rods, reducing waste volume and increasing efficiency.
This is not speculative science; it is proven engineering that countries like France have used for decades.
Reusing fuel rods is safe because the process occurs in highly controlled, shielded environments regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Future Worth Building
Wyoming has never shied away from big ideas or bold leadership. Nuclear power is not a departure from our heritage — it is the next evolution of it.
We have the workforce, resources, land, and political will to lead the nation in advanced nuclear energy. The question is whether we seize the moment.
If we do, Wyoming will light the way.
Eli D Bebout, Riverton
Former Legislator and Wyoming Businessman
