Energy

Bill Gates-Backed TerraPower Wins US Approval for Advanced Nuclear Reactor

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By Will Wade and Ari Natter

March 4, 2026 at 4:31 PM UTC

Updated on

March 4, 2026 at 5:08 PM UTC

TerraPower LLC, a nuclear power company backed by billionaire Bill Gates, has received approval to build America’s first commercial plant using next-generation reactor technology.

The company broke ground on non-nuclear parts of the project in Wyoming in 2024, and on Wednesday was granted a construction permit for its Natrium reactor by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.