Bill Gates is looking to prove a couple of points. Point No. 1: A new generation of nuclear power plants designed by TerraPower — the company he founded and for which he serves as chairman — will be safer, cheaper and produce less radioactive waste. Point No. 2: Next-gen nuclear-generation stations can replace decommissioned coal plants and offer employment opportunities to coal workers who would otherwise lose their jobs.
And now the co-founder of Microsoft will get his chance prove his concept with a pilot project slated for the town of Kemmerer, Wyo., where TerraPower’s Natrium plant will begin operating as soon as 2030.
“I’m convinced the facility will be a win for the local economy, America’s energy independence, and the fight against climate change,” says Gates. “It will be the most advanced nuclear facility in the world.”
Kemmerer has a particular interest in the Natrium facility’s success because its local coal plant, which has been i