Wyoming

Wyoming draws interest in new nuclear and low-carbon fossil fuel investments – WyoFile

Published

10 months ago

May 7, 2025

Wyoming draws interest in new nuclear and low-carbon fossil fuel investments – WyoFile

LARAMIE—Wyoming is on the cusp of a nationwide nuclear power resurgence with the backing of a presidential administration that also promises to overhaul federal regulations to ensure the state’s coal, oil and natural gas are positioned to meet booming electrical demand while lowering carbon emissions, Gov. Mark Gordon told an audience of energy enthusiasts.

In Wyoming, he said, “We talk about what’s practical, what’s good and what can we accomplish if we really put our minds to it. That has been, I think, the hallmark of what has driven so much of American energy [innovation] over the years.”

Gordon spoke to about 350 attendees of the Next Frontier Energy Summit, an annual event organized by the Wyoming Energy Authority, at the University of Wyoming on Tuesday. The two-day conference featured speakers representing utility giant PacifiCorp, nuclear energy manufacturer BWXT Advanced Technologies, and leaders in the oil and gas and uranium mining industries. The governor suggested that, after decades of visionary work by state leaders to create regulatory pathways and boost investor confidence to scrub carbon from fossil fuels, markets and national policies are finally beginning to align with Wyoming’s attitude to “find a way forward.”

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 Administrator Cyrus Western, in the red tie, joins a panel discussion at an energy conference in Laramie on May 6, 2025. (Dustin Bleizeffer/WyoFile)

In fact, Gordon said, he’s recently modified his long-touted mantra of an “all-of-the-above” energy and environmental strategy: “Now, we need to talk about the best of all-of-the-above.”

“We have opportunities to innovate,” he said, “to make mistakes, to correct from those mistakes and to really drive through to a future that is efficient, that is environmentally sound, that has a mix in the energy portfolio — everything from renewables in the appropriate place to fossil [fuels] done right to nuclear done right.”

Faith in Wyoming nuclear, natural gas and coal

As evidence of Wyoming leading on the next generation of energy, PacifiCorp CEO Cindy Crane noted the utility’s tentative agreement to take on TerraPower’s Natrium nuclear power plant under construction near Kemmerer. Not only will Natrium — among the first “advanced small modular reactors” in development in the nation — help the six-state utility secure reliable, low-carbon electricity, it fits within PacifiCorp’s penchant for proven technologies over more speculative endeavors and political favor.

“We don’t shift our strategy based on who’s in the White House,” Crane said. “We don’t manage our business on politics. We manage our business for our customers, first and foremost, and for our states and their energy policies, not the federal government’s policies.”

A big part of what makes advanced nuclear attractive to PacifiCorp, according to Crane, is the partnerships between the utility, TerraPower, the state, federal agencies and the University of Wyoming to build a domestic nuclear energy supply chain and workforce to back it up.

“We don’t shift our strategy based on who’s in the White House. We don’t manage our business on politics.”
Cindy Crane, PacifiCorp
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“It is elevating education and job training for Wyoming, as well as a future U.S. workforce,” Crane said. “It is building a transition for our existing and experienced workforce, and it is positioning Wyoming to continue and grow its electrification and supply of power throughout the western U.S.”

After burning more than $5 billion worth of Wyoming coal at its power plants over the decades, PacifiCorp is making the shift — although critics say too slowly — to not only renewables backed by energy storage, according to Crane but to nuclear and natural gas.

In fact, PacifiCorp has converted two of four coal-burning units at its Jim Bridger power plant outside Rock Springs to natural gas, and will convert the final two coal-burning units at the Naughton power plant near Kemmerer to natural gas in 2026. However, Crane noted, PacifiCorp isn’t giving up on Wyoming coal. The company is still evaluating whether it makes sense to retrofit coal units at its Jim Bridger and Dave Johnston power plants with carbon capture, use and sequestration technologies.

Despite a steep price tag for such retrofits, if they move forward — estimated at over $1 billion — the efforts would create thousands of construction jobs and sustain hundreds of existing jobs in the state, Crane said.

“This is truly an example of planting the seeds for long-term jobs and economic prosperity in the state,” she said.

Gordon noted that such efforts to push new commercial-scale technologies are expensive, including for customers, but suggested it is worth the investment.

“The technologies that have come along over the last couple of years are remarkable,” Gordon said. “Yes, some of them are very expensive. First-generation stuff generally is. But we’ve all had the benefit of lessons of time to develop the technologies and see what can be done better.”

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Wyoming

Wyoming Coaches Pick the Best of 1A & 2A Boys Basketball in 2026

Published

9 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming Coaches Pick the Best of 1A & 2A Boys Basketball in 2026

The top boys’ basketball players in Wyoming for Classes 1A and 2A were chosen for the 2026 high school season. The Wyoming Coaches Association has unveiled the all-state awards for this year, as voted on by the head coaches in the two classifications, respectively. The Wyoming Coaches Association only recognizes one team for all-state, and only these players receive an award certificate from the WCA. WyoPreps only lists all-state players as defined by the WCA.

WCA 1A-2A BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-STATE SELECTIONS IN 2026

Each class selected 14 players for all-state, reflecting a broad recognition of talent across Wyoming. Notably, congratulations go to Hulett’s Kyle Smith, Brady Cook from Lingle-Fort Laramie, and Carsten Freeburg from Pine Bluffs, who earned all-state honors for the third straight year. In addition, eight more players achieved all-state status for the second time in their prep careers.

Class 1A

Paul McNiven – Burlington

Bitner Philpott – Burlington

Ammon Hatch – Cokeville (All-State in 2025)

Hudson Himmerich – Cokeville

Kyle Smith – Hulett (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Anthony Arnusch – Lingle-Ft. Laramie

Brady Cook – Lingle-Ft. Laramie (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Tymber Cozzens – Little Snake River (All-State in 2025)

Corbin Matthews – Lusk

Max Potas – Meeteetse (All-State in 2024)

Jace Westring – Saratoga

Hazen Williams – Saratoga

TJ Moats – Southeast (All-State in 2024)

Nic Schiller – Upton

Read More Boys Basketball News from WyoPreps

WyoPreps 1A-2A State Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps 3A-4A Regional Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Final Basketball Poll 2026

1A-2A Boys Basketball Regional Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 11 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-25-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 10 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-18-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 9 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-11-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 8 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-4-26

Class 2A

Caleb Adsit – Big Horn

Chase Garber – Big Horn

Carsten Freeburg – Pine Bluffs (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Mason Moss – Rocky Mountain

Oakley Hicks – Shoshoni

Kade Mills – Sundance

Cody Bomengen – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)

Zak Hastie – Thermopolis

Ellis Webber – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)

Joseph Kimbrell – Wright

Mitchell Strohschein – Wright (All-State in 2025)

Adriano Brown – Wyoming Indian

Heeyei’Niitou Monroe-Black – Wyoming Indian (All-State in 2025)

Cordell Spoonhunter – Wyoming Indian

The 2026 state champions were the Saratoga Panthers in Class 1A. They beat Lingle-Fort Laramie, 50-45, in the championship game. The 2A winners were the Thermopolis Bobcats, who repeated as champions, after a 45-38 victory over Wyoming Indian in the title game.

Lusk versus Rock River high school basketball 2026

Game action between the Tigers and Longhorns

Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Lisa Shaw

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Wyoming

New laws establish a statewide literacy program

Published

21 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

New laws establish a statewide literacy program

A pair of bills signed into law last week aim to build out a more comprehensive system of literacy education across Wyoming’s public schools.

One mandates evidence-based practices and requires regular screenings for dyslexia, while the other enables the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) to hire a dedicated literacy professional to oversee statewide compliance.

Gov. Mark Gordon’s signing of both bills on Friday was the latest accomplishment of an ongoing push for improved literacy standards. That push has been spearheaded by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder.

“Wyoming is not going to let a single child fall through the cracks,” Degenfelder said during a public bill signing last week. “We are not going to fall behind when it comes to ensuring that our children can read at grade level.”

The primary bill, Senate File 59, establishes a statewide K-12 program for teaching students to read that is built on “evidence based language and literacy instruction, assessment, intervention and professional development that supports educators, engages families and promotes literacy proficiency for all Wyoming students.”

The bill defines evidence-based strategies as those that conform to the science of reading, a term that will be defined and updated by Degenfelder’s office. Nationwide, it generally means putting academic research into practice in classrooms. SF 59 specifically prohibits the exclusive use of “three-cueing” — a strategy once widely employed to teach reading but which education experts now say is outdated and less effective than other strategies.

It also requires annual dyslexia screeners for students below the third grade, and testing for reading difficulties for all students.

The screeners are used to identify the severity of reading difficulties in order to direct “tiered” support that offers the most intensive interventions to the students most in need, while still providing “evidence based” language instruction to all students.

Each school district must formulate an individualized reading plan “for each student identified as having reading difficulties or at risk for poor reading outcomes.”

Districts must now report to the state annually regarding their literacy-related work. Any district where 60% or more of the students are struggling will be required to implement “summer literacy camps or extended supports, including after school support and tutoring.”

The bill also requires literacy related professional development for teachers and specialists “appropriate to their role and level of responsibility” related to literacy education.

SF 59 was backed by dyslexia advocates and literacy specialists.

Senate File 14, the other literacy bill signed into law Friday, appropriates $120,000 annually for the next two years for a full-time position at WDE “to assist school districts in implementing a reading assessment and intervention program and language and literacy programs.”

Both bills go into effect July 1.

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Wyoming

Wyoming Announces 2026 Football Schedule – SweetwaterNOW

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming Announces 2026 Football Schedule

Samuel “Tote” Harris. Photo from gowyo.com

LARAMIE — The University of Wyoming and the Mountain West Conference announced the Cowboys’ 2026 football schedule Monday, a slate that opens with the Border War and concludes with back-to-back home games in Laramie.

Wyoming opens the season Sept. 5 on the road against Colorado State in the 118th edition of the Border War. The Cowboys then host Northern Colorado on Sept. 12 in the home opener before traveling to Central Michigan on Sept. 19.

The Cowboys begin Mountain West play Sept. 26 at home against Hawaii in a matchup for the Paniolo Trophy. Wyoming then faces back-to-back road games at North Dakota State on Oct. 3 and San Jose State on Oct. 10.

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Wyoming returns to War Memorial Stadium on Oct. 17 to host conference newcomer Northern Illinois before facing Air Force at home on Oct. 24. The Cowboys will have an open week on Oct. 31.

The Cowboys open November with road games at UNLV on Nov. 7 and at UTEP on Nov. 14, marking Wyoming’s first meeting with the Miners as members of the Mountain West. Wyoming closes conference play by hosting New Mexico on Nov. 21 and wraps up the regular season with a nonconference game against UConn on Nov. 28 in Laramie.

Each Mountain West team will play four home and four road conference games during the 13-week season, which will conclude with the Mountain West Football Championship Game featuring the two teams with the highest conference winning percentages. The championship game date will be announced later.

With the conference schedule set, Mountain West television partners CBS Sports, FOX Sports, and The CW will begin selecting broadcast games, which could include moving some contests to non-Saturday dates. Network assignments and kickoff times will be announced at a later date.

Season ticket renewals for the 2026 Wyoming football season are now available. Fans can renew their tickets online by visiting gowyo.com/tickets and logging into their account.

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