Wyoming has been the driving force behind this country for more than a century. If you look at the Wyoming state flag, especially the seal in the center of the bison, you will see a miner depicted representing the priority we have long placed on the nation’s energy supply. Most people think of coal, oil, natural gas and other mineral resources when they think of our state. But Wyoming is also leading the way when it comes to the nuclear power industry.
The incredible demand for energy, both here domestically and globally, driven by the boom in artificial intelligence, is not going to slow down anytime soon. This industry requires enormous amounts of reliable baseload energy, and the countries that can supply it will control the next era of economic and technological leadership.
For more than a decade, American demand for electricity has barely changed. That era is completely over. Demand is up 3% in 2024 alone, and the EIA predicts that in the coming years we will need almost a trillion more kilowatt hours than we currently use. To put that into perspective, that’s roughly the equivalent of powering every home in America twice. Wyoming has the uranium, workforce and next-generation technology to help make that moment happen.
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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) approval last week of a construction permit for TerraPower’s Kemmerer Power Station, a sodium-cooled advanced nuclear reactor to be built in western Wyoming, is a big deal for our state. The approval of this permit is proof that when industry and government operate with focus, efficiency and integrity, America can build tomorrow’s technologies right here at home within reasonable regulatory timeframes. The NRC, under President Trump, issued this approval ahead of its own timeline, demonstrating that America is serious about leading in this sector.
Wyoming sits atop the nation’s largest uranium deposits. During the Cold War, Wyoming was one of the nation’s largest uranium producers – a legacy that did not disappear, but waited for the right time to return. With the right regulatory framework and private sector investment, that time has now come. Wyoming miners and energy workers have the experience and resources to responsibly extract these resources and safely expand nuclear power across the country.
This policy battle is bigger than a single community or facility. It’s about reclaiming America’s nuclear fuel supply chain from our adversaries and restoring next-generation nuclear energy production here at home. For decades we made the costly mistake of buying uranium from Russia. I proudly led Congress’ successful effort to ban this practice, and today President Trump, Secretary of the Interior Burgum, and Secretary of Energy Wright are working to rebuild America’s uranium and nuclear supply chain from the ground up. We cannot afford to depend on foreign powers for resources that are fundamental to our energy security.
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Both China and Russia have rapidly increased nuclear energy production over the past decade and are aggressively exporting their own nuclear technology. Countries around the world are interested in embracing nuclear energy, and it is critical that Wyoming and the United States take the lead rather than surrendering that economic opportunity, technology and mining dominance to our competitors. China is the world leader in nuclear reactor construction, with more than 30 new plants under construction. But they don’t just build them for themselves. Beijing is desperate to export its nuclear technology around the world and tie other countries to Chinese designs and Chinese supply chains for decades to come.
Wyoming won’t let that happen without a fight. The Kemmerer Power Station puts us at the front of this race. It will power our communities, put Wyoming workers to work and show the rest of the world how next-generation nuclear energy is actually happening.
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Wyoming has always been and always will be an energy state. It’s what we do, it’s our expertise and we’re proud of it. As America’s energy and electricity needs grow, Wyoming must be the state that can meet demand and supply it at a price that American families and businesses can afford. I believe nuclear energy will be a critical part of the baseload playbook for the future.
The Trump Administration has worked extremely hard to ensure our energy grid remains safe and charged. Wyoming isn’t just ready for the energy future; we lead it.
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