Concerns Rise Over Bill Gates-Backed Nuclear Reactor in Wyoming

A nuclear reactor, supported by Bill Gates and labeled a “cowboy Chernobyl” by some critics, is moving quickly toward approval in rural Wyoming, raising alarms among locals and nuclear safety advocates. This rapid development is based on regulatory changes from the Trump administration.

TerraPower, a company founded by Gates, is seeking federal authorization to construct the first sodium reactor in the Western Hemisphere in Kemmerer, a small coal town of roughly 2,000 residents, not far from the Utah border and about two hours north of Salt Lake City.

This reactor would cool itself using liquid sodium instead of water, a method proponents argue is both safer and more efficient.

However, some critics are voicing concerns over potential risks and the approach to containment being proposed.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission recently completed a safety assessment and determined there were no major impediments to issuing a building permit.

A committee will likely vote on the permits by the end of the month. It’s important to note that TerraPower will need to secure a separate license for operating the reactor once construction is finished.

Community members are growing increasingly worried about the speed of this project.

“If you consider how long it takes for the wind to carry events here, two hours seems pretty close,” remarked Patrick Loewen from Casper. “If something goes wrong, it would directly impact us.”

TerraPower plans to begin construction on the non-nuclear parts of the facility this June, located on a 44-acre site near the now-decommissioned Norton coal-fired power plant, which is set to close by the end of 2025.

The proposed nuclear reactor is expected to generate 345 megawatts of power, with capabilities of hitting 500 megawatts during peak usage. The company aims to have it operational by 2030.

Officials in Wyoming are supporting the initiative as the state looks to move away from coal energy.

The reactor is pioneering in nature, as noted by Republican Governor Mark Gordon, who appreciated the collaborative effort between government and private sectors.

Additionally, Senator Cynthia Lummis pointed to the project’s potential to bring about 1,600 temporary construction jobs and 250 permanent positions.

Nevertheless, nuclear watchdog organizations are raising red flags about the rushed timeline.

The Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit advocacy group, has criticized TerraPower’s design, stating it lacks the traditional concrete containment structures typical in U.S. nuclear plants.

Instead, the company is proposing a “functional containment” system that relies on internal design elements rather than external physical structures to mitigate risk.

“The rapid power outages and insufficient real containment make this site, Kemmerer, resemble a ‘cowboy Chernobyl,'” warned Edwin Lyman, the nuclear safety director at the group.

Lyman cautioned that if it turns out the containment is inadequate, adding traditional safety systems later will be nearly impossible.

He also expressed doubts about the sodium cooling system.

“Liquid sodium coolant is flammable, and the reactors can be unstable, leading to sudden spikes in power output,” he stated.

In response, TerraPower maintains its reactors operate at about 350 degrees Celsius, significantly below sodium’s boiling point, making the system safer.

Concerns intensified when the NRC finished its review well ahead of schedule, following a presidential directive from Donald Trump in May that expedited approvals for advanced nuclear reactors.

TerraPower applied for a building permit in March 2024 and got preliminary approval by December—this timeline is significantly quicker than the earlier goal set for August 2026.

For locals like Steve Herring, the risks are far greater than the promises of progress.

“It feels like Wyoming is being used as a test site for this nuclear experiment,” Herring commented. “This state has everything I love: beauty, clean air, and abundant natural resources.”

He expressed concerns about the future costs of nuclear waste disposal, as the country still lacks a permanent storage solution.

Some states, including California and Connecticut, have even imposed bans on new nuclear power plants unless the federal government can provide a long-term solution for managing radioactive waste.