nuclear power

Climate change denial and anti-federal government sentiment are popular talking points in Wyoming as of late. However, data on federal dollars earmarked for climate-related projects in the state show another story.

Almost three years ago, an unlikely relationship formed between the declining coal town of Kemmerer and one of the richest people in the world: Bill Gates. That’s because his nuclear company, TerraPower, announced it’d chosen Kemmerer for a “first of its kind” power plant. It promised to pump life back into the economy. But unless you’re deeply embedded in the energy world, it mostly just felt like a lot of talk to residents – until this month, when the project broke ground.

Construction on the highly anticipated Kemmerer nuclear project began this week, and the groundbreaking brought out one of the world’s richest people.

Uranium mining is picking up in the United States – this comes after years of very little production – and it could help a first of its kind nuclear power plant project in southwest Wyoming.

The proposed nuclear facility near Kemmerer is nearing the construction phase. But it still has to be approved by the feds and they’re holding meetings to let residents in on that process.

How can technology help address the challenges facing a rural state like Wyoming? This year’s Wyoming Global Technology Summit is bringing entrepreneurs, business founders, policymakers, educators, and leaders together in the Tetons to talk solutions with a focus on leveraging technology for rural growth.

The nuclear facility project that is planned for the Kemmerer area has a key issue: it lacks a fuel source. But officials say they now have an answer to that problem.

The University of Wyoming (UW) recently announced plans to create a nuclear research core facility, with help from a $300,000 grant from the US Department of Energy. The facility is also receiving $600,000 in funding from UW’s School of Energy Resources. Dr. Caleb Hill, the co-director of the University’s Nuclear Energy Research Center, will be overseeing the project’s completion.

U.S. support for nuclear power is the highest it's been in a decade. And there are a number of proposals for new plants in our region. That could mean an uptick in domestic uranium mining.

About 2,000 people live in Kemmerer, which is in the corner of southwest Wyoming, where the mountains meet the desert. It is known for a few things – the original JCPenney store, ancient fossils and consequently, the fossil fuel industry. But, in late 2021, the company TerraPower, founded by Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, announced their plans to build a nuclear plant nearby. While there is some push back with the project, the hope is to create ‘greener’ energy and jobs for former coal workers.