The Future of Nuclear Power May Rest Near a Small Coal Town in Wyoming

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Near the small town of Kemmerer in southwest Wyoming, a multibillion-dollar initiative is underway to build what may become the first of a new generation of American nuclear power plants.

Workers began construction last week on a novel nuclear reactor designed to be smaller and more cost-effective than traditional large reactors.

It marks the first attempt in about four decades to establish an advanced reactor as a commercial power plant in the United States, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

TerraPower, the start-up company behind this project, anticipates the reactor won't be completed until at least 2030 and faces significant challenges. The NRC has yet to approve the design, and the company must navigate the delays and cost overruns that have plagued numerous nuclear projects.

However, TerraPower has a highly influential and financially robust founder. Bill Gates, currently the seventh-richest person in the world and the co-founder of Microsoft, has invested over $1 billion into TerraPower, with plans to invest more.