Bill Gates-backed TerraPower begins nuclear reactor construction

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has authorized TerraPower to begin construction of a reactor in Wyoming. The project is the first new U.S. commercial nuclear reactor in about a decade, according to The New York Times. TerraPower was founded by Bill Gates and it took years for the company to receive regulatory approval for this construction effort.

TerraPower is part of an effort to create more efficient and less expensive nuclear facilities as an alternative energy source, especially as AI companies and data center construction place more demands on America’s current infrastructure. TerraPower’s project involves technology it has dubbed Natrium in its planned reactor. Using this liquid sodium approach rather than a traditional light water reactor is part of how the company aims to reduce costs and time.

Supporters view nuclear reactors as a way to produce electricity without the climate impact of coal or gas plants. Critics point to security risks as a major drawback of this approach, while others question whether the creation and disposal of nuclear waste counters environmental gains. The Gates-backed operation still isn’t cheap. The proposed facility could cost at least $4 billion and still faces logistical challenges before being commissioned as planned in 2031.