A nuclear power plant facility is coming to Utah, located in the Brigham City area. However, construction may not begin until later in the decade. The facility is estimated to contain 10 modular reactor units throughout the Brigham City area.
This nuclear facility will be the first of its kind in the nation and will cost $750 million to build. The plant is estimated to create 750 jobs, 600 of which are estimated to be long-term.
President of the Utah Senate Stuart Adams believes that the importance of the Brigham City initiative is powering artificial intelligence centers that are becoming useful for U.S. defense.
“Energy production is a national security issue,” Adams said.
Gov. Cox met with the Brigham City mayor and representatives from two nuclear infrastructure firms, Hi Tech Solutions and Holtec International.
The Cox administration has been focusing on building the state’s power supply and supplying more energy to its residents, along with providing more job opportunities.
“This ecosystem will be generationally transformative for our families, our community and our state as well as a template for the nation,” said Brigham City Mayor D.J. Bott. “We won’t have to export our children and grandchildren to find good careers.”
Some have expressed concern about the effects of this power plant on the environment, but Utah Department of Natural Resources Director Joel Ferry said that the newest nuclear energy is cleaner, safer and uses less water than before.
Earlier this year, a conference was held to discuss Operation Gigawatt and the benefits of bringing nuclear energy to Utah, and the goal to put Utah at the top of the nation’s energy production.
Author: Lainey Porter
Photo courtesy of Allison Bailey, AP News
Editor: Hannah Clove
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