The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is announcing an opportunity for the public to
request a hearing on a construction permit application from TerraPower seeking permission to
build the company’s Natrium nuclear power plant near Kemmerer, Wyoming.
TerraPower, through its subsidiary US SFR Owner, filed the application in March,
requesting a permit to build the sodium-cooled, advanced reactor design on a site near an
existing coal-fired power plant. The 345-megawatt electric Natrium plant includes an energy
storage system to temporarily boost output up to 500 MWe, when needed. If the NRC ultimately
issues the permit, TerraPower would need to submit a separate operating license application to
obtain permission to run the reactor.
The NRC staff has determined the application contains sufficient information for the
agency to formally docket the application and begin its safety and environmental reviews.
Docketing the application is not an indication of whether the NRC will issue the construction
permit. The notice in today’s Federal Register includes instructions for filing hearing requests.
The filing deadline is Aug. 5.
Information about the regulation of new reactors is available on the NRC website. A copy
of the TerraPower construction permit application will be available on the NRC website and at
the Lincoln County Library – Kemmerer at 519 Emerald St., in Kemmerer.
