Wyoming made national headlines in June 2024 when TerraPower, an advanced nuclear energy company funded by Bill Gates, began construction in Kemmerer, a historic coal town in southwest Wyoming. The nation’s first sodium-cooled advanced nuclear reactor, which the company claims will be smaller in size, more cost-effective and safer than traditional reactors, would be co-located with a coal and natural gas power plant. TerraPower plans to retain 109 of the coal plant’s workers and has already taken over its transmission lines and water rights.

As coal-fired power plants retire, many companies that once relied on them are seeking alternative energy sources. Natural gas has long been the next option, but with increasing pressure to achieve carbon-free operations, industries are looking for greener solutions.

Wyoming’s Innovative Entrepreneurs, a newly formed coalition of state manufacturers, is aiming to seize new business opportunities in nuclear energy. Members of the coalition have partnered with the Idaho National Laboratory for research and development support and BWX Technologies, a leading producer of nuclear reactors and a key player in both commercial and government nuclear sectors.