NRC Fast-Tracks Natrium Reactor Review, Bringing Advanced Nuclear Closer to Reality in Wyoming

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has accelerated its timeline for reviewing TerraPower’s construction permit application for the Natrium plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming. On July 1, a new letter from the NRC laid out an aggressive timeline, backed by support from President Trump’s Executive Order 14300, which called for streamlined NRC operations. Now aiming to complete its review by December 31, 2025, the NRC has shaved off a total of eight months from the original schedule, signaling a major step forward for advanced nuclear energy in the United States.

The project, officially known as Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1, is the first commercial advanced reactor in the country to reach this phase. Powered by a 345 MW sodium fast reactor and an innovative molten salt-based energy storage system, Natrium is built to respond dynamically to fluctuating demand. When power needs surge, it can boost output to 500 MW, a unique capability among current reactor technologies and an ideal complement to renewable-heavy grids.

“This acknowledgement by the NRC that our application can be completed more quickly than originally anticipated is a testament to the incredible work by our Natrium team and the support for advanced reactors at the federal level,” said Chris Levesque, TerraPower President and CEO. “Streamlining reviews is a commonsense solution that accelerates permitting schedules and proves that we can bring safe, well-vetted American technologies to market faster and compete on the global stage.”

WY It Matters

The Kemmerer Natrium project is being developed as a public-private partnership through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). Expected to be completed in 2030, it will be the first utility-scale advanced nuclear power plant in the United States.

Here in Wyoming, this is more than a technological milestone, it’s an economic opportunity. Your Wyoming Chamber of Commerce launched our Powering Progress campaign to ramp up energy innovation efforts right here in the state. With growing energy demand and a more complex power grid, the U.S. needs clean, reliable, and scalable solutions. Natrium meets those needs, and if the NRC stays on track, Wyoming will be at the forefront of a historic energy transformation.