– TerraPower, founded by Bill Gates, preparing to build new nuclear power plants
– Construction of Natrium reactor in Wyoming to begin in June
– Natrium reactor design uses liquid sodium coolant instead of water, offering cost savings
Microsoft founder Bill Gates’ company, TerraPower, is planning to start building a new nuclear power plant in Wyoming in June. The project has received about $1 billion in private funding, with the U.S. government providing additional support, potentially up to $2 billion. The Natrium reactor design by TerraPower will use liquid sodium as a coolant, which is said to reduce costs significantly compared to traditional water-cooled reactors.
CEO Chris Levesque stated that construction will begin in June, even without a permit from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Much of the early work will focus on designing the reactor, aiming for the plant to be operational by 2030. The use of liquid sodium as a coolant is expected to be a “game-changer” in terms of cost and efficiency, with a high boiling point offering significant cost savings compared to water-cooled reactors.
In addition to the Wyoming project, Southern Co. has agreed to build an advanced demonstration nuclear reactor at Idaho National Laboratory using TerraPower’s technology. The project will be partly funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and involve other investors as well. This development signals a significant step forward in the advancement of nuclear power technology.