Japanese firms to help Bill Gates build nuclear reactor in US
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US billionaire Bill Gates is seeking nuclear energy through a deal with Japanese firms, and it could see him building a facility in Wyoming.
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US billionaire and Microsoft founder Bill Gates
The Japan Atomic Energy Agency and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will be cooperating with the US and Bill Gates' venture company to build a high-tech nuclear reactor in Wyoming, the Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun reported Saturday.
According to the report, the firms will sign an agreement in January for the Japan Atomic Energy Agency and Mitsubishi to provide Gates' TerraPower with technical support and data from Japan's advanced reactors.
Gates' TerraPower is set to open its Natrium plant in Wyoming in 2028, and the US government will fund 50% of the $4 billion venture.
The American company was meant to build an experimental nuclear plant with China National Nuclear Corp; however, former US President Donald Trump's decision to restrict nuclear deals with China impeded that and forced the company to seek new partners.
Washington has been competing with Beijing and Moscow, which also aim to build and export high-tech reactors.
Japan had decommissioned its Monju prototype advanced reactor previously, a project that cost the country $8.5 billion but was seen as an overall disappointment, sparking controversy in the island nation.
Monju underwent accidents, regulatory breaches, and cover-ups since its establishment. The facility was later closed over public distrust of nuclear energy following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
