Lummis Highlights Wyoming's Nuclear Future Amid Rising Energy Demand

Outgoing Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis expresses optimism about Wyoming's emerging role in the nuclear energy sector as she prepares to leave Congress. The state is hosting the construction of TerraPower’s first next-generation nuclear facility in Kemmerer, a 345-megawatt reactor using liquid sodium coolant. Lummis attributes recent progress to regulatory shifts at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) under President Trump’s second term and advocates for codifying executive orders to streamline permitting. She emphasizes the urgent need for expanded nuclear capacity to meet surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centers and manufacturing, noting that nuclear power accounted for 18 percent of U.S. electricity in 2025. While acknowledging natural gas will serve short-term baseload needs, Lummis argues that advanced reactors are essential for long-term sustainability. She also supports bipartisan efforts to overhaul federal permitting systems, aiming to balance accelerated deployment with rigorous safety standards. Lummis frames this development as critical in the geopolitical competition with China, which is rapidly expanding its own nuclear infrastructure to support its AI ambitions.