The Wyoming Senate has given initial support to a bill that clarifies Wyoming’s permitting authority over Terra Power’s Natrium nuclear power plant in Kemmerer.
House bill 131 is trying to address some concerns by the National Nuclear Regulatory Commission. They regulate civilian use of radioactive materials. But one in-state concern was that Russia was to be the main supplier of uranium because it was the only place that produced specific Haleu Uranium fuel needed for the Wyoming reactors. But during the Senate debate, Minerals Committee Chairman Jim Anderson said that problem will be resolved thanks to some U.S. investors.
“And now that we have two…two Haleu facilities being built in the United States, one in Ohio and one in Tennessee that can take our uranium and make it into Haleu, which is what they need to burn in their facilities, it just completes the cycle completely,” said Anderson
Some Senators questioned the safety of the facility, but the bill was approved on a voice vote. It’ll be debated two more times.