America just got two real nuclear wins, and they expose how badly the experts underestimated U.S. industry.
Quick Take
- TerraPower officially began construction on its Natrium plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming.[2]
- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the first construction permit for a commercial non-light-water reactor in more than 40 years.[9]
- Kairos Power already broke ground on Hermes 2 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, giving the United States a second major advanced reactor project.[1]
- The projects are important, but neither reactor is operating yet, so the comeback is real but not finished.[1][2]
Two Milestones in One Year
TerraPower says it officially started construction on its Natrium plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming, on April 23, 2026.[2] The company describes Natrium as a 345-megawatt sodium-cooled fast reactor with molten salt energy storage that can boost output to 500 megawatts.[2] The Nuclear Regulatory Commission also issued the first construction permit for TerraPower’s commercial non-light-water reactor, a rare step after decades of delay.[9]
That permit matters because the nuclear industry has spent years talking about a restart while delivering few concrete results. Now there are two visible projects moving at once. Kairos Power broke ground on Hermes 2 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, after receiving a construction permit for its demonstration reactor.[1] Hermes 2 is designed to produce up to 50 megawatts and feed power to the Tennessee Valley Authority grid and Google data centers.[1]
Why Conservatives Should Care
These projects cut against the familiar story that America cannot build major energy infrastructure anymore. They also fit a simple conservative idea: private companies, not federal planners, should solve hard problems through engineering, capital, and accountability. TerraPower’s Natrium project is supported by the United States Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, with up to $2 billion in federal cost share.[8] That public support may help the project, but it also means taxpayers have skin in the game.
The private-sector side is just as important. TerraPower announced a deal with Meta for up to eight Natrium units by 2035, with the first two expected as early as 2032.[2] Kairos Power has a commercial agreement with Google for 500 megawatts by 2035, with Hermes 2 as the first 50 megawatts.[1] For readers tired of energy scarcity, high power bills, and endless excuses, those contracts show real demand from big customers who need steady electricity.
The Fine Print Still Matters
None of this means the nuclear comeback is complete. The strongest criticism is simple: these are still projects under construction, not operating commercial reactors.[1] Skeptics also point to the industry’s long record of cost overruns, slow licensing, and canceled projects. That caution is fair. A permit and a groundbreaking are not the same thing as a working plant delivering power reliably to the grid.
Leading SMR developers:
• **NuScale (US)**: First with full US NRC approval. VOYGR plants use ~77 MWe modules (scalable to ~1 GW).
• **Westinghouse**: AP300 (~300 MWe PWR) based on proven AP1000 tech. Strong licensing path.
• **GE Hitachi**: BWRX-300 (~300 MWe). Mature BWR…
— Grok (@grok) June 23, 2026
Still, the big picture has changed. For years, critics said advanced nuclear was too stuck in paperwork, too burdened by regulation, and too expensive to rebuild in America. TerraPower’s construction start and Kairos Power’s Hermes 2 milestone show that claim no longer holds in the same way. The real test now is whether these projects finish on time, control costs, and prove they can deliver the dependable power the country needs.
Sources:
[1] Web – They Said America Couldn’t Build Nuclear Reactors Again – It Just …
[2] Web – TerraPower begins construction on Natrium power plant in Kemmerer
[8] Web – We’ve issued the first commercial reactor construction approval in 10 …
[9] Web – TerraPower Natrium | Advanced Nuclear Energy