Government officials and business leaders from both the state and Lincoln and Uinta counties met with TerraPower and Rocky Mountain Power to discuss the opportunity to bring next-generation nuclear power to southwest Wyoming.

The Naughton Power Plant is one of four coal-fired power plants in Wyoming hoping to get the new plant. Kemmerer City Administrator Brian Muir says it went very well and believes it has a good chance at getting it.

“I think there are a lot of advantages,” Muir said.

He says he gave a presentation to the power companies citing the benefits of bringing the plant to the city.

“Including our good workforce that we have here,” Muir said. “Our proximity to Salt Lake City Airport and also the construction companies that might be down there in Salt Lake. Also our proximity to a nuclear-trained workforce.”

He says an aspect that will be beneficial to the community is there will be a net gain of jobs. He also says in the meeting he learned how safe the technology is.

“It’s called an advanced nuclear reactor,” Muir said. “I was comforted to know how safe it was even compared to the current reactors in the United States that are safe as well.”

He says people should not need to worry about water to cool it down as it is a “salt-cooled reactor”.

“So the water needed is actually less than what we’re currently using for coal-fired power operations,” Muir said. “I know that they do a good job at Rocky Mountain Power, even this year with the water concerns, they’ve done a good job with the reservoirs, planning things.”

He says he also brought up to the power companies that a year ago the city released its strategic plan for diversifying the economy. He says that nuclear power was in their plan as it wants to continue to be leaders in energy development.