TerraPower Drops Bechtel as Kemmerer Nuclear Plant EPC Lead
TerraPower is rebidding the lead EPC contract for its Kemmerer Natrium plant after failing to reach terms with Bechtel, citing a schedule change.
Key points
- TerraPower is replacing Bechtel as the lead EPC contractor for the Kemmerer Natrium plant after failing to agree on terms for the next phase.
- Bechtel will remain on site to complete the Sodium Test and Fill Facility before its remaining employees are reassigned to other nuclear projects.
- TerraPower asserts that the contractor change will not delay the construction schedule, with the plant still targeted for completion around 2030.
TerraPower has removed Bechtel from its role as lead engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for the Natrium nuclear plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming. The separation follows a failure to agree on commercial terms for the project's next phase, prompting the company to initiate a rebid process for the EPC contract.
Despite the leadership change, TerraPower stated that construction will maintain its current schedule. The Kemmerer site is expected to host approximately 1,600 workers until the facility’s completion around 2030, positioning it as the first utility-scale advanced nuclear power plant in the United States.
Bechtel Completes Test Facility Before Exit
Bechtel, which served as the EPC contractor since October 2020, will remain on site solely to finish the Sodium Test and Fill Facility. TerraPower confirmed that this transition does not alter the overall project timeline, although the company did not provide a specific date for the new contractor selection.
Bechtel submitted a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification on September 15, indicating that about 200 employees would be laid off or reassigned starting in November. However, Bechtel communications manager Amanda Meixel stated that no layoffs are anticipated, as staff will be transferred to other nuclear projects within the company’s portfolio.
Local Officials Cite Standard Phasing Practice
Kemmerer Mayor Robert Bowen described the contractor change as a routine part of large-scale project phasing rather than a sign of operational failure. Bowen noted that TerraPower communicated the decision to city officials early to manage local sentiment, emphasizing that contingency plans have existed for various scenarios since the project's inception.
Rebid Process Begins Without Schedule Delay
TerraPower is managing the transition to a new EPC contractor without modifying the construction schedule. The company secured Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval in March and began construction in April, aiming to keep the project on track for its 2030 completion target despite the change in primary contractor leadership.
