Bill Gates’ nuclear company gets first approval for next-gen reactor
The Verge • • business
Key Points:
- TerraPower, a nuclear energy startup founded by Bill Gates, has received approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build a next-generation commercial-scale nuclear reactor in Wyoming, marking the first such permit in the US in nearly a decade.
- The plant, expected to be completed by 2030, will use TerraPower's 345 megawatt "Natrium" design, which employs liquid sodium cooling to reduce costs and operate at lower pressures compared to conventional reactors.
- TerraPower's reactor includes a molten salt-based energy storage system that enables the plant to increase power output to 500 megawatts during peak demand periods.
- Bill Gates has emphasized nuclear energy's potential to address the climate crisis by using advanced designs that improve safety
