A Johnson County city could be in the running for state-backed nuclear plant

As other major projects come to fruition in De Soto, the western Johnson County’s City Council wants to be considered for something new: a nuclear reactor facility.

As part of an effort to bring more clean energy options to the grid, nuclear innovation company TerraPower, Evergy and the Kansas Department of Commerce announced in September that they entered into a memorandum of understanding in order to explore building a Natrium advanced nuclear reactor site somewhere within Evergy’s service territory in Kansas.

No site has been selected at this time, but the state and its partners are hoping to have a final decision in 2026. At least three other municipalities have written letters expressing their interest to be involved in future conversations about site plans.

“The city of De Soto has a vested interest in Evergy’s efforts to diversify and expand its power generation capabilities, given our ongoing efforts to attract advanced manufacturing and other energy intensive users,” the city staff report said. “We have also taken steps to allow for a large-scale renewable project at Astra, with the adoption of solar power regulations.”

“Given this, the availability of land and the investments already made by Evergy in and around the community, there is reason to remain engaged in the TerraPower discussion.”

Gov. Laura Kelly said in a press release that the state needs to explore “all available sources” to power the state in order to support its continued growth in the future.

On Thursday, the De Soto City Council unanimously approved sending a similar letter to throw their hat in the ring for the project as details become clearer.

“I feel it’s important we remain engaged with that discussion and learn more about that,” City Administrator Michael Brungardt told the City Council during Thursday’s meeting. “There’s a lot we don’t know, there’s a lot the community doesn’t know.”

TerraPower — a nuclear-based technology company founded by Bill Gates — first opened a Natrium reactor about a year-and-a-half ago at a retiring coal facility in Kemmerer, Wyoming, which is about 200 miles southeast of Jackson.

Natrium technology uses liquid sodium and operates at a lower pressure than most nuclear reactors — which use pressurized water as a coolant and operate at high pressures.

The lower pressure levels make this form of technology a bit safer to operate and ultimately produce energy to power an electric grid without producing carbon, Brungardt said.

The Wyoming facility received a degree of approvals by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the company has plans for additional site locations around the country, with similar MOUs in other states for similar activities, he said.

“Here in Kansas, a number of communities have sent letters of interest and full-throated support and excitement of having the facility in their community,” Brungardt said.

The Coffey County Commissioners passed a resolution of support, leveraging their experience with the existing Wolf Creek Nuclear Generating Station and available infrastructure, according to the staff report. Additionally, Lyon County and the Emporia City Commission, and Hutchinson officials have formally submitted letters of interest or support to attract the project.

Kansas’ push for a nuclear reactor comes amid several federal cuts of green energy incentives and programs from President Donald Trump’s administration. But Kansas officials acknowledged that there’s a need to consider all options to keep up with energy demands.

“There is a need for more power,” Brungardt said. “When you look at our power loads we have here and the potential in new projects, it makes sense that if an effort is being made to locate such a facility in the state of Kansas, they might want to locate close to where power demand is.”

De Soto has become a hub of major projects in recent years, being home to Panasonic’s 300-acre electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility as part of Astra Enterprise Park, a 14-square mile business park also home to a 3,000-acre solar farm.

In August, the City Council approved a Development Agreement to build a $3.1 billion data center on 290 acres on the northwest corner of 103rd Street and Edgerton Road.

The letter to the Department of Commerce does not endorse or commit De Soto to the project, rather it just opens the door to gain additional information, Mayor Rick Walker said.

“I don’t know whether or not a nuclear facility is right for De Soto, but I know that we won’t know if we don’t have the conversation,” he said. “I think it’d be important that we gather more information … rather than dismissing something out of hand.”

While nothing is set in stone, some De Soto residents are skeptical about this coming to their community.

“Nuclear power and De Soto don’t really belong in the same sentence as far as I’m concerned and I don’t think our neighbors would feel too kindly about having a nuclear power plant,” resident Mike Caldwell said during public comment.

While he believes there’s a role nuclear power can play in the future to help turn away from fossil fuels, he said a nuclear power plant within a metropolitan area doesn’t make sense.

“We have parts of Kansas emptying out, lots of open space. Wolf Creek wants it, let them have it. Do you want to be working on this over the next 10 years? Do you want to be on TV justifying this to greater Kansas City?” he asked. “I don’t want my money spent on De Soto getting sued, De Soto having to justify and (go) through all the process it’s going to take to get this approved.”

However, the City Council opted for a path to first learn more in order to make an informed decision.

“If we don’t express an interest in having the conversation now, we might not get a chance later,” Mayor Walker said.

This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 2:41 PM.