Permitting has been fast-tracked for the first-of-its-kind nuclear power plant in Kemmerer, which is raising a red flag for some.
The Trump administration sees more nuclear power as part of the answer to America’s energy independence. To help achieve that, Pres. Trump signed executive orders (EO) in May to help speed up the regulatory review process in the industry.
The changes also mean less total time to assess how a new nuclear project could impact the environment and public safety, as well as less time for the public to weigh in. That’s a concern for John Burrows, Wyoming Outdoor Council’s energy and climate policy director.
“I don’t think there are, at least from our perspective, many communities that are out there raising their hands saying, ‘Yes. We want a nuclear project in our community with an expedited safety and environmental review,’” Burrows said. “It’s just not something that any community wants to see, especially for a pilot or demonstration project.”
But that’s what’s happening now in Kemmerer with TerraPower’s Natrium plant. The Bill Gates-backed nuclear power plant is a brand new technology. Originally, permitting was going to take 26 months, but now it’s shortened to 19 under the EOs. Additionally, other U.S. nuclear projects could see a fast-tracked regulatory process too.
“What’s not getting looked at? What’s getting sped up? What processes are being omitted, and does that come back to the community in any way?” Burrows questioned.
Meanwhile, TerraPower is celebrating. The company said in a press release that the process is just getting “streamlined” and its project will still happen safely.
In an email to Wyoming Public Radio, TerraPower’s President and CEO Chris Levesque said multiple environmental reviews are taking place on the state and federal level. Levesque added if anything, being granted the fast-track permitting is a reflection of the company’s due diligence.
“This shift in review schedule is happening by both the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) streamlining reviews, and because of the frequent engagements with the NRC and thoroughness of information provided from the TerraPower team throughout this application process,” Levesque said. “TerraPower is still completing all the required steps – including the environmental impact statement and the technical topic reviews – to obtain the construction permit application.”
If the technology is able to go from proof of concept to reality, the plant should be up and running by 2030.
