NRC Grants Construction Permit for TerraPower’s First Natrium Reactor

First commercial non‑light‑water reactor permit in 40 years – The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a construction permit for TerraPower’s Kemmerer Unit 1, marking the first such approval for a commercial‑scale non‑light‑water reactor since the early 1980s [1].

Natrium design boosts output with molten‑salt storage – TerraPower’s 345 MWe sodium‑cooled fast reactor includes a molten‑salt energy‑storage system that can temporarily raise power to 500 MWe, allowing the plant to follow daily load changes and complement variable renewables [1].

Accelerated licensing completed in 18 months – TerraPower filed its permit in March 2024; the NRC docketed it and began formal review in May 2024, finishing the 27‑month schedule in just 18 months through a streamlined mandatory hearing process [1].

Construction slated for 2030 completion – Non‑nuclear work at the Wyoming site began in June 2024 near a retiring coal plant, and the project, part of the DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, aims to be operational by 2030 [1].

Further steps and private backing announced – TerraPower will start construction in the coming weeks, but an operating licence from the NRC for its subsidiary US SFR Owner is still required; Meta recently pledged funding for up to eight Natrium reactors, with two 690 MW units targeted for 2032 and six 2.1 GW units by 2035 [1].

Design gains UK regulatory acceptance – The Natrium reactor, a joint TerraPower‑GE Vernova‑Hitachi Nuclear Energy technology, entered the United Kingdom’s Generic Design Assessment process, signaling international regulatory interest [1].