In a move that could reshape how we think about nuclear energy in America, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has given TerraPower the thumbs-up to start construction on its first reactor, the first new nuclear plant approval in nearly a decade. The company, backed by Bill Gates, is planning to build this experimental facility in Kemmerer, Wyoming, and it’s not your typical nuclear power plant.

TerraPower’s design, called Natrium and developed with GE Hitachi, is pretty wild when you look at the details. Instead of using water to cool the reactor (the standard approach), Natrium uses liquid sodium. This might sound sketchy, and honestly, sodium is incredibly reactive when it hits air or water, but it has some real advantages. The liquid sodium can transfer heat way more efficiently without the high-pressure steam issues that plague traditional reactors.

But here’s where it gets even more interesting. Natrium is a fast-neutron reactor, which means it could actually consume radioactive isotopes that would normally just sit around as waste in older reactor designs. That’s a pretty big deal when you’re thinking about the long-term environmental impact of nuclear power.

The reactor itself is also smaller than most nuclear plants you see today. We’re talking 345 megawatts compared to the typical 1 gigawatt you’d find at most facilities. But don’t let the smaller size fool you, TerraPower built in something clever: energy storage. Instead of just using the heat to boil water and generate electricity immediately, the plant will store that heat in a salt-based material. This means the plant can generate power when it’s needed, or store it for later. During peak demand, the storage system can temporarily pump out up to 500 megawatts of electricity.

Why does this matter? Because it solves one of nuclear’s biggest problems: competing with renewable energy. When wind and solar are flooding the grid with cheap electricity, nuclear plants struggle. But with built-in storage, Natrium can operate smarter, generating power when it’s actually valuable instead of constantly running at full throttle.

Now, here’s the thing: this construction approval doesn’t mean TerraPower is home free. Getting approval to actually operate the reactor is a whole different battle. But this is a huge step forward for the company, and it signals that regulators are at least willing to consider new approaches to nuclear energy. Whether Natrium proves to be the game-changer TerraPower is hoping for remains to be seen, but the fact that we’re finally seeing new nuclear construction in this country is worth paying attention to.