Bill Gates’ TerraPower gets approval to build new nuclear reactor

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has granted TerraPower, a nuclear startup founded by Bill Gates in 2015, approval to build its Natrium nuclear reactor in Wyoming near an aging coal power plant. This marks the first NRC permit for a new nuclear reactor in nearly a decade. The Natrium reactor is designed in partnership with GE Vernova Hitachi and will generate 345 megawatts—smaller than typical modern reactors but larger than many small modular reactors. Notably, Natrium uses molten sodium for cooling instead of water, a first for commercial reactors approved by the NRC in over 40 years. This design allows the reactor to store excess heat in molten sodium tanks, enabling energy to be saved during low demand and used to supplement intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar, potentially lowering generation costs. TerraPower’s approval is significant because it followed the NRC’s traditional permitting process for private land, unlike some projects on Department of Energy property that follow different regulations. The company is among