TerraPower

AActiveFounded 2008🇺🇸Bellevue, Washington

CEO

Chris Levesque

Overview

TerraPower is a nuclear innovation company founded by Bill Gates developing next-generation reactor technology. Their flagship Natrium reactor combines a sodium-cooled fast reactor with a molten salt energy storage system, enabling flexible power output to complement renewable energy. TerraPower received a $2B+ cost-share award from the U.S. Department of Energy and is building its first demonstration plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming, at a retired coal plant site.

Main Products

Natrium

In Development

Sodium-cooled fast reactor with integrated molten salt energy storage, enabling flexible output from 345 MWe to 500 MWe peak.

Demonstration plant under construction in Kemmerer, Wyoming — NRC construction permit issued March 2026, targeting commercial operation by 2031.

Electrical Output345 MWe (baseload)

Peak Output500 MWe (with storage)

Reactor TypeSodium-cooled fast reactor

Energy StorageMolten salt (GigaWatt-hour scale)

Demo Plant LocationKemmerer, Wyoming

Target Operation2031

Molten Salt Energy Storage

In Development

Integrated thermal energy storage system using molten salt to decouple reactor output from grid delivery, enabling peak power output.

Part of the Natrium system — allows flexible power dispatch to complement intermittent renewables.

Storage TypeMolten nitrate salt

Peak Boost345 MWe → 500 MWe

Duration5.5+ hours at peak

PurposeGrid flexibility / renewable complement

What's Next

Natrium demonstration plant construction

Building the first Natrium sodium-cooled fast reactor demonstration plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming, at a former coal plant site. NRC construction permit issued March 2026. DOE cost-share funding exceeds $2B.

2031

First sodium reactor criticality

Targeting initial criticality of the Natrium reactor at the Kemmerer demonstration plant, marking the first sodium-cooled fast reactor to operate in the U.S. in decades.

2031

HALEU fuel supply chain development

Securing high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel supply needed for the Natrium reactor, working with domestic enrichment partners and DOE programs.

2028

Operations & Revenue

StatusPre-revenue

Development stage — Natrium demonstration plant under construction in Kemmerer, Wyoming. No operational reactors yet.

Pipeline & Contracts

DOE Cost-Share Funding

$2B+ from DOE's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program to build the Natrium demonstration plant.

Private Investment & Partnerships

Significant investment from Bill Gates, SK Group, and venture partners funding reactor development and demonstration.

Key Metrics

Employees

1,000+

Est. Annual Revenue

Pre-revenue

Total Funding

$4B+

Natrium Output

345 MWe (500 MWe peak)

Demo Plant Target

2031 (Kemmerer, WY)

Timeline

2024Construction begins

Breaks ground on the Natrium demonstration plant, targeting commercial operation by 2031.

2022Kemmerer site selected

Selects Kemmerer, Wyoming (former coal town) as site for first Natrium demonstration plant.

2020DOE ARDP award

Receives $2B+ cost-share award under DOE's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.

2019Natrium design unveiled

Pivots to the Natrium sodium-cooled fast reactor with integrated molten salt storage.

2015China partnership

Signs agreement with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) for TWR development.

2010Traveling wave reactor concept

Develops the traveling wave reactor (TWR) design that can run on depleted uranium.

2008Founded

Bill Gates and a group of technologists found TerraPower to develop advanced nuclear energy.

Funding

Round	Date	Amount	Investors
Founder & early investors	2008–2018	$1B+	Bill Gates, Khosla Ventures, venture partners
DOE ARDP cost-share	2020	$2B+ (government share)	U.S. Department of Energy
Series B	2022	$750M	SK Group, Bill Gates