Legislation that would allow nuclear microreactor manufacturers to store spent radioactive fuel in the state stalled Wednesday during a meeting of the Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee.
“I think it needs some more work,” committee co-chair and Casper Republican Sen. Jim Anderson said after several hours of expert testimony and public comment. “I think we’ve got five months to work it to see if we really can change some minds in Wyoming to work this bill.”
It’s unclear whether the committee might still consider sponsoring the draft bill, “Advanced nuclear reactor manufacturers-fuel storage,” during the 2026 budget session. Though some members expressed support for holding a third interim hearing, the committee didn’t commit to it.
The panel heard from approximately two dozen residents who, collectively, appeared split on the issue. But sentiment tilted toward the notion that lawmakers are simply moving too quickly to change state law to accommodate Radiant Industries, which plans to manufacture nuclear microreactors near the town of Bar Nunn and store spent fuel from the units at the facility.
“We don’t have to be the first,” Bar Nunn resident Laura Redmond told the committee, noting that Radiant would be among the earliest in the nation to mass-manufacture portable microreactors for military and commercial use around the world. “We can let other [states] make the mistakes, and we can capitalize on that.”
Will Almas of Lander, who has experience in the nuclear energy industry, said he generally believes the advancing nuclear microreactor industry is safe, along with federal oversight of waste facilities. However, “I can’t wholeheartedly endorse the project,” he said.
Radiant is scheduled to test its Kaleidos microreactor design at the Idaho National Laboratory next year, Almas noted. Lawmakers should consider waiting until after the test, he suggested, before changing the law. Meantime, he suggested officials organize a public engagement effort throughout the state — preferably hosted by a neutral third party — to help gain trust in the actual benefits and risks before determining whether Wyomingites want to welcome the industry here.
“We’re not comfortable with risks that we don’t understand and that are new,” Almas said. “I think that’s part of what’s going on here, is that [residents] just don’t know how to evaluate that risk.”
Not everyone embraced such nuance or a wait-and-evaluate attitude.
Several residents and industry proponents suggested Wyoming is in a race with other states to capitalize on what they see as a burgeoning and lucrative industry, and one that has enthusiastic backing from the Trump administration. Many others were dead-set against the industry and, in particular, storing nuclear waste near Bar Nunn or anywhere in the state.
“Why would we amend state statute for a company not in the business of storing spent fuel, knowing we are taking on all the risk and responsibility for the unforeseeable future,” Bar Nunn resident Lee-Ann Newquist said, noting there is no permanent federal repository and that any “temporary” storage in Wyoming would likely become permanent.
Bar Nunn, an industrial yet quiet community of 3,000 a few miles north of Casper, is like living in “Mayberry,” Newquist said, referring to the idyllic American small-town portrayed in The Andy Griffith Show. But the town has become polarized since Radiant’s plans were announced.
“Now, many of us pass each other without eye contact or even acknowledgement, and any mention of ‘nuclear’ is like pouring gasoline on a fire,” Newquist said, adding that opponents of the proposal are often ridiculed. “We’re continually belittled, told our emotions are notwithstanding, that we’re fear-mongering and stupid.”
Rush to nuclear?
The draft bill is the third legislative attempt within a year to add exceptions to Wyoming’s decades-long ban on storing nuclear fuel waste.
A similar piece of legislation, Senate File 186, “Advanced nuclear reactor manufacturers-fuel storage,” was defeated during this year’s legislative session. Lawmakers also rejected House Bill 16, “Used nuclear fuel storage-amendments,” earlier this year, which would have opened Wyoming’s doors to decades of nuclear waste that’s been accumulating at the nation’s nuclear power plants.
Lawmakers have already made one exception to the state’s ban on nuclear waste storage, however.
House Bill 131, “Nuclear power generation and storage-amendments,” was passed in 2022 to accommodate TerraPower’s Natrium nuclear plant being built near Kemmerer. That exception allows nuclear power plants operating in the state to “temporarily” store their own radioactive waste. But it doesn’t allow waste from nuclear power plants outside the state.
Skeptics of expanding waste storage exemptions to nuclear microreactor manufacturers note that it’s a significant departure from storing nuclear waste at TerraPower’s Natrium plant. Specifically, Radiant’s business model is to ship its 1-megawatt Kaleidos microreactors to clients all over the nation and the world, according to the company. All the units would eventually be shipped back to Radiant’s manufacturing campus near Bar Nunn for refueling and redeployment, vastly increasing the chances of an accident en route, many worry.
Several times during the hearing, residents questioned whether elected officials — state, local and federal — are actually listening to their concerns. Many were particularly frustrated at Wednesday’s hearing.
Dozens of residents showed up by 9:30 a.m., anticipating the beginning of the nuclear waste discussion on the agenda. But the committee didn’t get to public comment until late in the afternoon, and when it did, Chairman Anderson wanted to hear from other state-elected officials first, drawing ire from committee member and Cheyenne Republican Sen. Tara Nethercott.
“This is a new practice of the Wyoming Legislature to allow legislators to dominate the conversation from ‘We the people,'” Nethercott said. “The purpose of the public meeting is to hear from you [addressing the audience], because I can hear from my colleagues all the time. So I just want to caution us from pontificating a little too much about our opinions on the topic, and rather hear from those that don’t have access to us as frequently in this public forum.”
Thank you WYOFILE for this FIRST AMENDMENT exercising… Let’s HOPE that is a HUGE TABLE and never gets off that table!
I will touch on a homosapien subject to/of “sanitization”, about the location of this “nuclear storage” WYOMING/ROCKY MOUNTAINS and how it could or would tie into the 1921 Water Compact Act that is knocking on America’s door of “Water SHORTAGE(S)…
“WHAT IF” the waste were to “leak accidently” and CONTAMINATED most if not a very LARGE PORTION of water going down stream to the States, Cities and agriculture and growing fields? What would be the “SAFE LEVEL” or NEW SAFE LEVEL of Radiation poisoned water and crops grown or growing by this contaminated H2O? How many homes, businesses, schools, etc. would have this contaminated water to cook, clean and bathe in before SERIOUS health and death issues would become irreversible? To include Wyoming households as well? Would this be an almost perfect homosapien SELF-DESTRUCTION due to?
Selective training, conditioning or presumptive situational optics and conversations? United WE are strong and strength, divided we fail/fall and those IF involved will surely take the death of their selves as DUTY to the “sanitization”. FIRST AMENDMENT always! SEMPER FI!
Good move, while I believe that Nuclear Energy is the long term answer to our country’s energy needs, I am not convinced that all the bugs of nuclear waste storage have been worked out.
Kudos to the public for raising the serious concerns. There is no need to rush into a decision. Radiant’s reactor design is not tested yet or approved by N R C. Let’s see what evolves and make the best decision for our health, safety and welfare of Wyoming and her people. Thanks for the good reporting
NO nuclear storage in Wyoming. Period. Have you all noticed how Wyoming is ‘up for sale’ this past couple of years? From trying to give away public land to nuclear storage, when will it end. Fire our politicians.
I suppose there are those that are against this for some reason other than fear, but I doubt it. Folks need to do some legitimate research. This would be good for Wyoming.