Bill Gates’ nuclear company has received first approval for its next-generation reactor

TerraPower, founded by Bill Gates, has received approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build a next-generation reactor in Wyoming. This is the first advanced commercial-scale nuclear power plant to ever receive federal permitting. According to the press releaseIt will be the first commercial reactor built in the United States in nearly a decade.

Build in Wyoming plant It is expected to be completed by 2030. TerraPower is one of many companies racing to build smaller, more efficient reactors to augment electrical grids under the pressure of artificial intelligence data centers. In a 2024 interview with EdgeBill Gates said he also believes nuclear power can help solve the climate crisis by using designs that reduce the problem “in terms of its safety, fuel use, or how waste is handled.”

Unlike traditional water-cooled nuclear plants, the 345 MW “Natrium” design used by TerraPower uses liquid sodium to reduce shielding costs and operate at lower pressures. The TerraPower plant also features a unique “molten salt-based energy storage system” that allows it to easily increase power production to 500 MW when demand is high.