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A Salt Lake City-based nuclear energy company announced it is partnering with the state and the Intermountain Power Agency to explore putting a small nuclear reactor in Millard County. The Utah Office of Energy Development’s director, the power agency’s general manager and the CEO of EnergySolutions LLC signed a memorandum of understanding on April 23 that lays out a 180-day timeframe to determine the feasibility of moving forward with a nuclear power project exclusively with EnergySolutions. Emy Lesofski, the Office of Energy Development’s director, said developing nuclear power in the state aligns with Gov.
Spencer Cox’s vision for new energy production projects across the state. Cox unveiled “Operation Gigawatt” in October, announcing the state’s goal of doubling power production in Utah within the next 10 years. (Courtesy of Idaho National Laboratory) Utah Gov.
Spencer Cox speaks at a ceremonial signing for energy legislation passed during the 2025 General Legislative Session at the Governor's Mansion on Monday, April 28, 2025. “Utah will not be left behind in the advancement of energy development and production,” Cox said Monday during a ceremonial energy bill signing. While the Millard County Commission says it supports nuclear energy in general, at least one of its members is not happy with the way state leaders could bring the power to Utah.
Specifically, county officials are still smarting over HB249, also called the Nuclear Power Amendments, passed during the last legislative session. The new law allows for the creation of “electrical energy development zones” across the state to incentivize energy developers to build projects in those areas. Utah counties and municipalities can apply to create a zone in their community, but they would have to give some of the tax revenue generated by an electrical energy development zone to the state.
The area being considered for a small modular reactor in Millard County could become one. Commission Chair Bill Wright, a former state legislator, said he and the other commissioners worked tirelessly to prevent HB249 from diverting the county’s tax dollars. Wright said the law could force county officials to beg the state for its own tax proceeds each year.
“The state is robbing us,” Wright said. “The state sees this coming. They are coming down and getting into our checkbook.
We’re going to have to fight that until the very end.” A small nuclear reactor near Delta? Utah leaders are betting on nuclear energy — specifically small modular reactors — to power the state’s future. Small modular reactors, or SMRs, can produce enough electricity to power 300,000 homes on the high end — about one-third the output of a traditional nuclear plant — with a much smaller footprint.
These reactors are also modular, meaning their parts can be made in a factory, transported to a site and then assembled. SMR supporters say the technology can bring electricity to remote, rural areas. EnergySolutions, Intermountain Power Agency and the state plan to use existing infrastructure at the Intermountain Power Project, a large coal-fired power plant just outside of Delta, to help develop an SMR nearby.
“We are excited to pursue this opportunity to create a clean energy hub for the Western United States,” Ken Robuck, EnergySolutions’ president and CEO, said in a news release announcing the partnership. “By adding new advanced nuclear technology ..
. we aim to provide a stable, decarbonized power supply that meets the needs of the state of Utah and the region.” Cameron Cowan, the power agency’s general manager, said the agency is “uniquely positioned” to foster nuclear power adjacent to the Intermountain Power Project.
“[It] builds on IPA’s successful history of power generation development in Utah. EnergySolutions is a Utah-based nuclear company with the background and capability to facilitate evaluating this unique opportunity,” he said. “We look forward to working together on this initiative.
” Small modular reactors are still in development in the U.S. — and likely won’t be available commercially until the end of this decade .
Nuclear is also one of the most expensive energy sources according to federal data , and despite advancements, many remain skeptical about whether or not nuclear power is safe . (Courtesy of Idaho National Laboratory) Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, House Speaker Mike Schultz and state lawmakers watch as Utah Office of Energy Development Emy Lesofski and Idaho National Laboratory Director John Wagner sign a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on nuclear energy research and innovation at the Governor's Mansion on Monday, April 28, 2025.
These caveats have not deterred Utah leaders. The state signed another memorandum of understanding Monday with the Idaho National Laboratory, a U.S.
Department of Energy nuclear energy lab, to collaborate on nuclear research and deployment. “This partnership will accelerate Utah’s efforts to become the nation’s nuclear hub,” Cox said in a statement. “By linking our universities, labs, and industry partners with the expertise of Idaho National Laboratory, we are strengthening our ability to serve Utahns with reliable and affordable energy.
” Millard County: ‘very pro-nuclear’ All three Millard County commissioners say they want to bring nuclear power to their county. “I’m actually very pro-nuclear. The technology now is such that it’s just really safe,” Commissioner Vicki Lyman said.
“Nuclear energy, they use less water than a coal plant with their new technology. So that’s a big plus for us because we need to try to save all the water we can.” Lyman added that another advantage of small modular reactors is that they take up far less space than, say, a solar or wind farm.
She also said a byproduct of the uranium decay in such plants is thorium, which is necessary for some cancer treatments and is always in demand. Commissioner Trevor Johnson said he, too, was excited about the prospect of nuclear power production inside the county. He said he has first-hand experience as a former employee of a Wyoming uranium mine that serviced nuclear power plants.
“I’ve been a fan of nuclear power for a long time,” Johnson said. “I think it’s just gotten more and more safe.” Lyman and Johnson, besides being elected officials, are also both employed by the entity that operates IPP.
Wright said questions remain about how nuclear development would impact the county. “I don’t know how many jobs it’s going to provide. Even if it does come, I don’t know how big it is and what it’s going to employ and how large a tax base it’ll provide.
But I am excited about them looking into it,” he said..
