The United States issues its first nuclear power construction permit in ten years, Bill Gates' advanced nuclear reactor approved

The construction of nuclear power in the United States has entered a new phase, as the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has officially approved the construction of the Natrium advanced nuclear reactor by TerraPower, a company supported by Bill Gates. This marks the issuance of the first commercial nuclear power construction license in nearly a decade and the first federal license for a non-light water commercial reactor in over forty years. On March 4, 2026, the NRC unanimously approved the construction of the reactor at the Kemmerer Station Unit 1 in southwestern Wyoming. TerraPower stated that physical construction will officially begin "in the coming weeks." Currently, there are zero nuclear power units under construction in the United States, and this approval allows the U.S. to re-enter the global nuclear power construction landscape. Earlier this year, TerraPower signed an agreement with Meta to plan the construction of up to eight Natrium reactors to provide stable, carbon-free electricity for artificial intelligence data centers. The above collaboration highlights the structural changes in the current electricity market—growing electricity demand from artificial intelligence and data centers is driving technology companies and energy developers to accelerate their search for reliable baseload power sources, thus attracting broader market attention to the commercial prospects of advanced nuclear power. Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor: Breaking Through Traditional Technology Routes The Natrium reactor employs a pool-type sodium-cooled fast neutron design with a capacity of 345 megawatts (electric). Unlike traditional light water reactors, this reactor is equipped with a molten salt energy storage system, allowing it to flexibly adjust output power while maintaining stable baseload operation, similar to the response capabilities of gas peaking power plants. In terms of fuel, Natrium uses high-purity low-enriched uranium (HALEU), with uranium-235 enrichment levels of about 15% to 20%, supporting smaller and more efficient core designs. This is the first approval of a non-light water commercial nuclear reactor in the U.S. in over forty years, breaking the long-standing dominance of light water reactor technology in the U.S. commercial nuclear power sector. Regulatory Acceleration: Significant Reduction in Review Cycle TerraPower submitted its construction license application in March 2024. NRC staff completed the review in just 18 months, significantly shorter than the initially expected 27 months, demonstrating a marked improvement in approval efficiency. The acceleration by regulators is seen as a signal of the authorities' proactive response to the rapid expansion of electricity demand. Before the formal approval, TerraPower had already initiated construction of the non-nuclear portion of the project in 2024, leveraging relevant exemption licenses and the state-level permit issued by the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council in 2025, including components such as the "energy island" and other energy storage infrastructure. Technology Demand Driven: Meta Collaboration Highlights Scaling Potential Earlier in 2026, TerraPower signed a large-scale cooperation agreement with Meta, planning to build up to eight Natrium reactors, with a total installed capacity reaching several gigawatts, directly corresponding to the structural demand for stable, carbon-free baseload power from artificial intelligence data centers. If the Kemmerer project progresses smoothly, it will provide key engineering validation and regulatory precedents for the mass replication of Natrium technology. As electricity demand from technology companies continues to rise and traditional fossil fuel plants accelerate their retirement, the commercialization path of advanced nuclear power is rapidly evolving from the demonstration phase to large-scale implementation, leading to increased attention from the market and investors in this sector