Across the US, there are currently a total of 54 nuclear power plants which, together, deliver 20% of the country’s electrical power.

Sure, nuclear power is a little controversial, but if the ramifications of the administration’s current war in the Middle East tell us anything, it’s that fossil fuels are unsustainable in the long term.

What that means, is that all countries need independent ways of generating their own power – be that wind, solar, nuclear, or other options that allow them to not rely on dirty, polluting, unsustainable fuels like oil and coal.

And as the US moves toward a greener future, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have approved the first nuclear power plant of the future.

The US’s first Natrium plant, known as Kemmerer Unit 1, will be build in Wyoming, and the decision was met with a grateful statement from Chris Levesque, CEO of TerraPower, the Bill Gates-backed company that will run it:

“Today is a historic day for the United States’ nuclear industry. We are beyond proud to receive a positive vote from the Nuclear Regulatory Commissioners to grant us our construction permit for Kemmerer Unit One. This is the first commercial-scale, advanced nuclear plant to receive this permit.

We plan to start construction on the Natrium plant in the coming weeks and look forward to bringing the first Natrium reactor and energy storage system to market in the great state of Wyoming.”

Exciting, sure, and definitely a big step forward for green ambitions in the US, which are vital if we are to secure a safe planet for our children and their children after them, as the plant is expected to be operational around 2030.

But what is a Natrium plant, and how is it better than a regular nuclear power plant?

First of all, Natrium power plants are thought to be safer and more efficient than the US’s existing nuclear plants, thanks to a reduced explosion risk, an ability to increase or decrease output dependent on demand, and a better capacity to cool, contain, and consume waste, meaning lower risk of radio-toxicity.

Moreover, the nuclear reactors are cooled using liquid sodium rather than water, meaning that unlike traditional plants, there is no need to use large amounts of high pressure water. However, the fuel requirements are more difficult to source, meaning it’s not all completely good news.

Regardless, this is a huge step forward for the country’s energy generation abilities, hopefully paving the way to a more sustainable future.

If you enjoyed that story, check out what happened when a guy gave ChatGPT $100 to make as money as possible, and it turned out exactly how you would expect.