Wyoming is Going Nuclear. Will Montana be Next?

Wyoming Goes Nuke (in a Good Way) - Could Montana Follow?

Remember that story from 2021 about Wyoming getting a multi-billion dollar, nuclear power plant? The project is one step closer to becoming a reality because construction is set to begin in June near Kemmerer. The TerraPower project, backed by Bill Gates and other investors, is the first of its kind in the world, and it's got folks wondering – could Montana be next?

Wyoming's a bit of an energy enigma.

They crank out a ton of power (1% of the country's energy), but most of it comes from 15 coal-fired plants that also pump out a lot of carbon emissions.  In February 2024, Gillette, Wyoming was selected for negotiations as a potential site for one of four Department of Energy facilities to capture and store carbon underground.

The Gillette location is attractive because of its proximity to the coal-fired power plant. Short pipelines can pump the captured carbon directly to the underground storage system. Bi-partisan federal funding allots $304 million for the four projects.

Read More: Is Gillette Wyoming Ready for the Biggest Event of its Life?

The Wyoming TerraPower project is an economic boost.

Wyoming's governor supports the project, touting the clean energy and new jobs it'll bring. When the project was announced, Governor Gordon said,

I am thrilled to see Wyoming selected for this demonstration pilot project, as our great state is the perfect place for this type of innovative utility facility and our coal-experienced workforce is looking forward to the jobs this project will provide.

According to TerraPower, the multi-year construction project will employ up to 1,600. Once the plant is running it will require a staff of 250.

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Pros and cons?

Nuclear fans say the tech is far safer now and most agree it's better for the environment than coal. Naysayers worry about the high costs, where to store the waste, and the risk (however small) of a nuclear power plant disaster. Realists might also say the US is far from cutting our dependence on fossil fuels. Despite advances in wind and solar, renewables provide just 14% of our electricity.

OPINION: If nuclear power technology is safe enough to use in our submarines and aircraft carriers, surely it's safe enough to generate power on larger scales. With our national grid stretched to the limit, we must consider all viable options. Perhaps projects like TerraPower could eventually be placed in other coal towns, like Colstrip?