An old coal plant is breathing new life into a small Wyoming community. Kemmerer’s coal-burning Naughton Power plant has always meant great IBEW utility jobs, and Terra Power’s next generation nuclear project means more of the same. Terra Power chose Kemmerer for its $4 billion nuclear project that’s set to break ground this year on the site of the retiring Naughton power plant. That plant was the center of the community for over sixty years.
“Naughton provided stable jobs for IBEW members,” says Local 322 business manager Jerry Payne. He’s excited for the plant’s new chapter.
Terra Power’s new Natrium nuclear plant will need 1,600 construction workers including 490 electricians and 50 instrument technicians. Most importantly, Terra Power has committed to retraining IBEW’s existing workforce for jobs in the new Natrium plant.
A new video posted by the IBEW has the story.
Half the cost of the Natrium project came from a $2 billion grant from President Biden’s historic infrastructure bill, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law was signed in 2021 and has brought billions of dollars to union towns like Kemmerer.
“The Biden administration’s efforts to promote unions and keep unions at the forefront is critical to a town like Kemmerer,” says Tammy Johnson, Wyoming AFL-CIO executive director. “President Biden has been a champion for unions.”
Local 322 business manager Payne agrees. He predicts the administration’s commitment to building the project with good wages, good benefits, and a career path will transform the town for years to come.
