Chris Levesque, CEO of TerraPower, spoke with SVI Media’s Dan Dockstader during a community open house regarding the start of construction for the TerraPower Training Center south of Kemmerer.

(0:00) Chris Levesque, we’re sitting in the Kemmerer Civic Center, the actual training center here (0:04) in Kemmerer. Chris Levesque just gave an extensive presentation on the future of (0:09) TerraPower, Natrium Nuclear in Kemmerer. Bring us up to date for those listening (0:14) in the SVI listening radio audience now where we’re at.
Great, yeah, well first it was great (0:20) to be with the community. It’s been four years now since we announced we were coming to Wyoming and (0:25) coming to Lincoln County and really appreciate how the community supported us. (0:31) Allowed us to start construction last June and we’ve been moving forward in earnest.
We (0:37) worked through the entire winter on our test and fill facility. Zero lost time accidents too, (0:43) which we’re really proud of. Today we announced the start of construction on the Kemmerer training (0:48) center, which is right along Highway 189.
That’s where we’re going to train our future operators (0:53) and it’s also going to serve as a visitor center for the Natrium reactor. We can have (0:59) post-school field trips and things like that so they can learn about the plant. (1:04) We’re moving closer and closer to starting construction on the energy island by the end (1:10) of the year and then the nuclear island beginning of 2026.
That’s waiting on the approval of the (1:19) construction license by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and they’ve informed us (1:23) they’re ahead of schedule on that. Their review will be done by December and again that’s going (1:29) to allow nuclear construction to start in the first quarter next year. It’s really (1:36) clipping along.
It seems faster than before when you were here. There were some concerns (1:41) about permitting but now you’re saying we have this, this, and this out in front of us and it’s (1:44) starting to happen. That’s right.
Permitting with the U.S. NRC is moving along well and also (1:50) great permitting support from the State of Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (1:57) has been super. I think we’re just realizing we made a great decision when we (2:06) we decided to build this first plant in Wyoming. Very good.
Appreciate you keeping us up to date (2:11) and thank you. You ended it by pointing out that there are job opportunities in the future as (2:17) people train and look at the potential with TerraPower not just in Lincoln County but (2:23) southwestern Wyoming as a whole. Absolutely.
This was the first town meeting I think where (2:30) we were able to have TerraPower folks who’ve moved to camera speak up and say we’re here, (2:37) we’re here to explain, to show up at the high school and explain what kind of jobs we (2:42) need or advise young people on what kind of programs they should pursue at the community (2:48) college. They actually stood up in the audience and said I work for TerraPower, I live in Kemmer. (2:54) It’s great.
We’re happy to be here, sir. Thank you. Chris Levesque, TerraPower.