Utah’s nuclear energy plans include a nuclear-powered data center near Price and a nuclear industry partnership in Brigham City.
Startup Valar Atomics has proposed Project Beehive on more than 9,000 acres of federal land near Price. The plan calls for 456 small reactors to power data centers, along with facilities to produce nuclear fuel and store nuclear waste, according to NPR.
Utah is exploring nuclear energy to meet growing electricity demands and diversify its energy sources. The Operation Gigawatt initiative aims to double power production over the next 10 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox described nuclear development as part of Utah’s “any-of-the-above” energy strategy.
“Energy security is national security, and Utah is stepping up to lead,” Cox said on Nov. 17, 2025.
He added that the project would help secure the nation’s future and demonstrate American leadership in energy innovation.
The proposal also includes about 650 acres of state land. The Bureau of Land Management said it was reviewing the application for completeness.
In Brigham City, a proposed partnership between Hi Tech Solutions and Holtec International would bring nuclear technology, including Holtec’s SMR-300 small modular reactor, to the area.
The project was backed by $750 million in private investment and could create more than 1,300 Utah jobs in its first phase. The project would still undergo state and federal reviews.
Not everyone supports the plans:
Neal Clark, wildlands director at the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, told NPR, “It’s concerning to see that the Trump administration, with the support of the state of Utah, is pushing this forward on significant acreage of public lands.”
Heal Utah raises concerns about project costs, timelines, nuclear waste and public health risks.
Nuclear energy produces electricity through nuclear fission, a process that splits uranium atoms and releases heat. The heat produces steam to generate electricity, according to the Utah Office of Energy Development. The office says nuclear power plants do not emit air pollutants during operation and can provide dependable electricity.
To learn more about nuclear energy projects in Utah, visit energy.utah.gov.
Author: Fangqi Zhou
Photo courtesy of ABC4Utah
Editor: Lainey Porter
outdoors@suunews.net
