The Wyoming Industrial Siting Council has granted a construction permit to TerraPower for its Natrium nuclear power plant near Kemmerer — a milestone achievement both in Wyoming and nationwide for commercial-scale “advanced nuclear” energy, the company says.

“This is the first state permit ever awarded to a commercial-scale advanced nuclear project and is a testament to the groundbreaking work of our TerraPower team,” TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque said in a prepared statement Tuesday.

The permit allows for construction of all non-nuclear portions of the Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 plant. TerraPower has a permit application pending before the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for all of the nuclear-related facilities. “That application was submitted in March 2024 and is on track for approval in December 2026,” according to a TerraPower press statement. “The unique Natrium design enables the company to start non-nuclear construction onsite during the NRC review.”

The state’s review included an analysis of environmental and socioeconomic impacts related to the facility, as well as potential avoidance measures such as noise limits and nighttime-light restrictions to minimize negative impacts on birds and skirting cultural resources when possible, according to the state and TerraPower’s 1,459-page permit application. The Industrial Siting Council — a gubernatorial-appointed panel connected to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality — now has 45 days to draw up its ap