Bechtel has moved on from TerraPower's Natrium Demonstration Project in Kemmerer, Wyoming, and plans to lay off approximately 200 employees at its Reston, Virginia, headquarters. According to a WARN notice filed with the state, the two companies couldn't agree on a way to move forward to the project's next phase.
Parting Ways in Wyoming
The layoffs are expected on or around Nov. 16. Bechtel will aim to help affected employees find positions on other projects, and anyone who doesn't land one will be laid off permanently.
A quick look at the project's timeline:
Bechtel broke ground on Natrium in 2024 for TerraPower, which is chaired by Bill Gates
Construction on Unit 1 began in 2026, according to Bechtel
On Aug. 31, TerraPower announced 12 new supplier awards for the project
The Redeployment Math
The 200 figure may not be the final count. Bechtel was legally required to file the notice, and moving workers onto other projects could reduce the number who are actually laid off.
Molly Edwards, Bechtel's head of global media relations, told Construction Dive the company anticipates few actual layoffs. She cited the significant work underway across Bechtel and the depth of expertise these employees bring.
The company plans to redeploy many of them where their skills are needed, including the nuclear facilities it's building globally. Bechtel's other nuclear work includes:
The $5.4 billion Clinch River nuclear site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, which Bechtel won in 2025
The AP1000 nuclear power plant in Poland
Its nuclear résumé also includes Vogtle Unit 3 in Georgia, the first new atomic power unit built in more than 30 years, which finished in 2023.
Between now and Nov. 16, Bechtel's project pipeline is what stands between roughly 200 workers and a permanent layoff.
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