Radiant’s Goodbye Letter Highlights Wyoming’s Energy Crossroads

Letter to the Editor: Radiant’s Vision and Decision

 

Radiant’s mission has always been simple: to build portable nuclear generators that deliver reliable, resilient power to anyone who needs it—wherever they need it. This vision aligns closely with President Trump’s energy priorities: strengthening national security, reasserting American energy independence, and revitalizing domestic manufacturing.

 

As an energy state with a skilled workforce, a strong industrial base, and a legacy of innovation, Wyoming quickly rose to the top as a leading contender for the future site of our advanced manufacturing factory.

 

Over the past several months, our team engaged in open and ongoing dialogue with state, county, and local officials, as well as community stakeholders, about the possibility of locating our facility in Natrona County outside Bar Nunn.

 

Following our first town hall meeting in March, we held numerous discussions on key project details—such as the number of high-paying jobs the facility would create, our commitment to worker and community safety, and the robust safeguards built into every aspect of nuclear operations. We also conducted community polling, door-to-door outreach, and personal follow-ups with those who attended our events to ensure a transparent process. The data we gathered made one thing clear: Natrona County residents strongly supported Radiant’s investment.

 

Ultimately, however, our decision came down to regulatory certainty. Wyoming law currently allows spent nuclear fuel to be stored only at operating reactor sites. While this signals that nuclear energy is part of Wyoming’s broader energy portfolio, it did not align with our operational model

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Our plan was straightforward: build our portable nuclear generators in Wyoming using Wyoming-mined uranium, deploy them to customers—such as U.S. military bases in remote areas—and return them for refueling. Once returned, the used fuel would be safely and temporarily stored in above-ground containers at our factory. To be clear, Radiant only sought to store used fuel from reactors built in Wyoming and brought back after deployment. Unfortunately, Wyoming’s current law does not yet accommodate that model.

As Radiant continues to grow—driven by recent commercial wins, new work with the U.S. military, and our progress toward activating our first reactor next year—we required a turnkey location where operations could move forward immediately to meet customer demand.

Given those factors, we made the difficult decision to locate our first manufacturing facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, rather than Wyoming.

 

Radiant remains fully focused on building the reactors that will power the energy systems of the future. To achieve that, we must build where the rules are clear, the government is predictable, and businesses are empowered to invest and grow.

 

For those who attended our public meetings, you’ve heard me share how excited my wife and I were to move our young family—three children under five—to Natrona County. My father once lived in

Wyoming in his early twenties, and many of his favorite stories come from that chapter of his life. Like him, I’ve met many people here that I now consider friends.

 

While Radiant will now focus on our operations in Tennessee, I will continue to watch Wyoming’s progress from afar with optimism—hopeful that one day, the state’s policies will evolve to further embrace energy innovation and next-generation technologies.

 

We are deeply grateful to the State of Wyoming, Natrona County, Advance Casper, and the many community members who participated in this process—asking thoughtful questions, engaging in honest discussions, and helping shape an open dialogue.

 

We encourage Wyoming’s leaders and residents alike to keep fighting for business growth and innovation, so that future generations can build fulfilling careers right here at home.

 

— [Matt Wilson],
Radiant Industries

 

Message from the Editor

 

Casper Buzz will be conducting a follow-up interview with Radiant tomorrow to discuss this decision in greater detail.

If you have questions you’d like us to ask during that interview, please post them in the Casper Buzz Facebook Group under the Radiant article. We’ll be compiling community-submitted questions to ensure your voices are part of the conversation.

 

This moment serves as a reminder of why local voices matter. When major decisions like this impact our community, we deserve to be part of the dialogue. That’s why Casper Buzz is committed to building a stronger communication bridge between the people of Natrona County and their elected leaders—so that community input isn’t just heard, but acted upon.

 

— The Casper Buzz Editorial Team