Bill Gates, the co‑founder of Microsoft and a prominent investor in clean energy, is pushing forward with a major nuclear power initiative aimed at meeting America’s rising electricity needs, including those generated by artificial intelligence data centers and residential demand.
Gates has committed $1 billion of his own capital toward the construction of a next‑generation nuclear power facility near Kemmerer, Wyoming, developed by his energy company TerraPower. The project recently began construction and represents one of the few new nuclear plants to break ground in the United States in years.
The design calls for a smaller and potentially safer type of nuclear reactor than traditional models. Unlike conventional reactors that use water for cooling, the facility will rely on liquid sodium as a coolant, which proponents say enhances safety by reducing the likelihood of high‑pressure failures.
TerraPower estimates the total cost could reach around $4 billion, significantly less than the $30‑plus billion spent on recent conventional nuclear projects in Georgia.
If all goes to plan, the plant could be completed by 2030. Gates discussed the investment and his views on the interplay between nuclear energy and AI power demand in an interview with NPR’s Morning Edition, highlighting his belief that reliable, carbon‑free energy will be crucial for supporting future technological growth.
Gates acknowledged that building market confidence and persuading skeptics of nuclear’s safety and cost effectiveness are among the challenges ahead.
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He noted that the design’s passive safety features — which cool the reactor without active intervention if something goes wrong — are intended to address safety concerns that have historically dogged nuclear energy discussions.
The project is part of a broader trend in the energy sector, where nuclear innovation — including advanced fission designs and emerging fusion technologies — is gaining traction as nations and companies seek reliable, low‑carbon solutions to power both homes and energy‑intensive technologies such as AI.
