MERRIAM, Kan. — Evergy and the nuclear innovation company TerraPower are deciding whether they want to build a nuclear power plant in Kansas.
TerraPower, founded by Bill Gates, is exploring whether its new natrium technology could be used for the facility.
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The two companies along with the Kansas Department of Commerce, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding Tuesday to explore sites for a possible nuclear plant.
There is already one nuclear power plant in the state.
Evergy’s Director of Corporate Communications Gina Penzig says there are record levels of development in both Kansas and Missouri with data centers, logistics, and manufacturing.
“And so, it’s driving an increased need for electricity over the next five to ten years,” Penzig said in a Zoom interview with FOX4 Wednesday.
Evergy recently announced they were planning to build two new natural gas plants in south central Kansas and a solar site in Douglas County.
“As we look forward over the next five, ten, 15 years with the growing need for electricity in the region, we want to consider all of the possibilities,” Penzig said.
That includes a nuclear power plant using TerraPower’s natrium technology. FOX4 asked Penzig where they’d consider building this.
“Our service area goes roughly from Hutchison to the eastern border of Kansas and then from north to south, so somewhere in about that eastern third of the state is where the site selection process will focus,” she responded.
Evergy has operated the Wolf Creek Nuclear Generating Station in Burlington for the last 40 years. Penzig says that facility has had a great safety record.
TerraPower would not speak to FOX4 on camera Wednesday, but in June of 2024, they started building the first advanced nuclear reactor project in Wyoming. Later on Wednesday afternoon, a spokeswoman for TerraPower said a natrium nuclear power plant would take three years to open.
Penzig says Evergy and TerraPower will announce sometime next year whether they’re going to team up to build a natrium reactor nuclear power plant or not. Gates founded TerraPower to meet the energy demands of new technology while also fighting climate change.
