Wyoming Shock: Coal Site Goes Nuclear

After decades of experts saying America could never build nuclear plants again, two advanced reactors just broke ground on U.S. soil — and they are aimed straight at powering big tech and our future grid.

Story Snapshot

TerraPower and Kairos Power have started construction on new advanced reactors, ending a long nuclear drought in the United States.
TerraPower’s Wyoming plant is the first full commercial non–light water reactor approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in over forty years.
Kairos Power’s Hermes 2 in Tennessee will feed the Tennessee Valley Authority grid and power Google data centers, tying nuclear directly to artificial intelligence demand.
Federal backing and private money from tech giants are pushing nuclear as a tool for cheap, reliable, carbon‑free power — but cost, fuel, and safety debates remain fierce.

America Finally Starts Building Advanced Reactors Again

For years, critics claimed the United States had lost the ability to build new nuclear plants, pointing to canceled projects and runaway costs. That claim just ran into hard reality in Wyoming and Tennessee. TerraPower, a company backed by Bill Gates, secured a construction permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March 2026 for its Natrium reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming, the first full commercial advanced reactor permit of its kind in decades. This permit allows nuclear‑related construction at the site, moving the project from plans on paper to steel and concrete in the ground.

TerraPower began construction on the Natrium demonstration plant near a retiring coal facility in Kemmerer, turning a former fossil site into a new source of clean, firm power. The plant’s fast reactor design is rated at 345 megawatts, with a molten salt energy storage system that can briefly boost output to around 500 megawatts, enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes. The company expects full construction to take about five years, with operations targeted around the end of this decade, if later operating licenses are approved on schedule.

Big Tech Bets Billions on Nuclear to Power AI

These reactors are not being built just for lights and air conditioners; they are being built for data centers and artificial intelligence. Kairos Power has started work on its Hermes 2 demonstration reactor at the former K‑33 uranium enrichment site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Hermes 2 is designed to generate up to 50 megawatts, with power sold into the Tennessee Valley Authority grid and to Google’s regional data centers. Kairos has a commercial agreement with Google that envisions a fleet delivering 500 megawatts by 2035, with Hermes 2 as the first phase.

TerraPower’s Natrium project also ties nuclear to America’s industrial future. The plant is part of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, a public‑private partnership meant to prove new designs at commercial scale. The federal government has approved up to two billion dollars in funding for Natrium with a fifty‑fifty cost share, lowering risk to ratepayers while keeping private investors on the hook. Reports also note that Meta Platforms has signaled support for up to eight more TerraPower units, a clear sign that major tech firms expect nuclear to carry their long‑term energy needs.

Promise of Cheap, Reliable Power — and Lingering Skepticism

For conservative Americans, these projects touch several key issues at once: energy independence, lower long‑term power costs, and reduced pressure for aggressive climate regulations. Nuclear plants run at high output around the clock and do not depend on foreign oil or gas, making them a strong tool for national energy security. They can also support the restart of shuttered plants and reuse old coal sites, preserving jobs and local tax bases instead of letting facilities rust away. This fits neatly with Trump‑era goals of American energy dominance and using all reliable sources, not just wind and solar.

Skeptics, however, point out that no small modular reactor has yet finished construction and entered commercial operation in the West. NuScale’s Idaho project was canceled in 2023 after cost overruns and loss of customers, and the Vogtle expansion in Georgia took about sixteen years and roughly thirty‑five billion dollars. Fuel supply for advanced reactors is another weak spot. Only one U.S. facility, run by Centrus Energy, currently has an NRC license to produce high‑assay low‑enriched uranium, and new capacity is not expected until near the end of this decade. These facts raise fair questions about whether promised timelines and prices will hold.

Regulation, Safety, and Local Control Concerns

The new reactors are also testing how far Washington will bend the rules to chase fast deployment. Policy shifts like the ADVANCE Act and new Department of Energy pilot programs are streamlining licensing, especially on brownfield sites such as retired coal or industrial facilities. Supporters argue this cuts red tape, reuses existing grid connections, and keeps America competitive with China and Russia, whose state‑owned firms dominate new reactor construction worldwide. For many conservatives, trimming bloated bureaucracy and getting projects built is a welcome change after years of regulatory drag.

Projects Under Construction (Advanced/Pilot)
•TerraPower Natrium (Kemmerer, WY): Site preparation and non-nuclear construction are underway to replace a retired coal plant. Backed by the Department of Energy (DOE), this 345 MW sodium-cooled fast reactor is designed with… https://t.co/Foc2uETC9b

— 🇺🇸MagAmerican🇺🇸 (@JAG582000) July 3, 2026

Critics worry this push can slide into government overreach and weak oversight. They highlight cases where federal agencies used “categorical exclusions” to skip full environmental hearings under the National Environmental Policy Act, limiting local input on safety and land impacts. Others point to the Price‑Anderson Act liability cap of sixteen billion dollars, which can fall short of total property value in some counties, leaving homeowners exposed if a major accident ever happened. These concerns underline the need to balance faster approvals with strong, transparent safety protections and respect for local communities.

What This Means for America’s Energy Future

Despite honest worries about cost, fuel, and regulation, the simple fact is this: America is building reactors again. TerraPower’s Natrium in Wyoming and Kairos Power’s Hermes 2 in Tennessee mark a clear break from years of stagnation. They also show that advanced nuclear is no longer just a climate talking point for globalists; it is becoming a practical tool to keep the lights on, hold power prices down, and stop hostile nations from controlling our energy future. For a country tired of blackouts, high bills, and lecture‑style “green” mandates, that matters.

The real test now is whether these first projects stay on schedule and on budget. If they do, more reactors could follow at retired coal plants and industrial sites, rebuilding a nuclear fleet that once provided nearly a fifth of America’s electricity. If they fail, critics will use the setbacks to push even harder for unreliable and subsidized alternatives. For readers who care about constitutional limits, affordable energy, and a strong nation, watching these projects closely — and demanding both discipline and transparency from Washington — will be key in the years ahead.