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- Utah Gov. Spencer Cox launched 'Operation Gigawatt' to double energy production by 2035.
- Rep. Carl Albrecht led efforts to establish a nuclear consortium and energy zones.
- Brigham City is just one of the Utah cities leaning into the nuclear plan to reshape Utah's energy future and economy.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox unveiled "Operation Gigawatt" a year ago, an ambitious goal of doubling the state's energy production in 10 years.
A GOP lawmaker from Richfield quickly became a champion in doing what he could to help the governor's initiative take root.
Rep. Carl Albrecht, R-Richfield, headed legislation in 2025 to set up an energy council, provide a mechanism for the creation of energy zones and, most importantly, established a nuclear consortium.
"See what I started?" he joked at the time.
Via HB249, the nuclear consortium is comprised of eight lawmakers, regulators, business leaders and Laura Nelson of the Idaho National Laboratory. It held its first meeting in October.
According to Rep. Colin Jack, R-St. George, the group reviewed geographic factors that might influence where to build a nuclear reactor. They were counting on local governments to propose sites.
And Brigham City got on board.
The construction of a small nuclear power plant near Brigham City, to be paired with a manufacturing and training hub that state leaders say could help power Utah's energy future and reshape the local economy, was announced in November.
The hub aims to support a future fleet of small modular reactors in Utah and across the Mountain West.
Also, the city of Eagle Mountain has been contemplating the adoption of an alternative energy zone, which would include a small modular reactor.
There have been several public meetings on the topic this year in Eagle Mountain, but city leaders deferred action for further refinement, more community engagement and, importantly, to let incoming elected officials have a final say.
In other developments, a new reactor is also planned for the San Rafael Energy Lab in Emery County. While the lab itself is not building a reactor, it will be a host for companies testing the technology. It began operations as the San Rafael Research Energy Lab and was purchased by the state for a little more than $20 million.
The lab plans to specialize in studying molten (liquid) salt reactors, as opposed to uranium fuel rods. The idea is that if the uranium is dissolved into a liquid, it will prevent meltdowns, which makes the reactors much safer. The goal is to have it operational next year.
Rocky Mountain Power is intent on someday replacing its coal-fired power plants with technology like TerraPower's Natrium reactor, which is a 345-megawatt sodium fast reactor coupled with a molten salt energy storage system, providing built-in gigawatt-scale energy storage.
TerraPower broke ground in 2024 in Wyoming at the site of a coal-fired power plant. That led Utah's governor to sign a memorandum of understanding with TerraPower and two other companies.
Cox made clear this year that he wants Utah to be the star of the alternative energy stage.
"Economic prosperity, quality of life, and national security are all downstream of our ability to deliver affordable and abundant energy. When energy is scarce or expensive, everything else becomes harder," he said.
"That is why Utah launched Operation Gigawatt and is moving quickly to expand energy capacity using a wide range of technologies, including advanced nuclear and geothermal."
Cox added: "As a Western state with energy-intensive industries and regional power markets that cross state lines, the choices we make affect far more than just Utah. Reliable and affordable baseload power is essential to economic opportunity across the West."
He emphasized when states build capacity, energy costs stabilize across the market. When they fall behind, prices rise for everyone.
"Through Operation Gigawatt, Utah is ensuring the energy abundance needed to power new industries, strengthen national security, and keep Utah the best place to live, work, and raise a family today and for generations to come."
In April, Cox inked an agreement with Battelle Energy Alliance, the operation and maintenance contractor with the Idaho National Laboratory northwest of Salt Lake City.
The purpose of the agreement between the state of Utah and Idaho National Laboratory is to address emerging energy needs through research, with a focus on advanced nuclear and energy innovation.
It also emphasizes workforce development for a sustainable energy future.
In other noteworthy achievements, the University of Utah's nuclear reactor celebrated its 50th anniversary.
The reactor was designed not to generate electricity, but the next generation of nuclear engineers. The University of Utah said its role has never been more important, with a "nuclear renaissance" growing to meet the needs of an AI-enabled future.
Data centers and their development are driving that urgency.
In December, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited the Idaho National Laboratory to push nuclear.
The laboratory is intertwined with multiple Utah projects, from helping keep cellphones functional for first responders in a catastrophic emergency to testing the functionality of batteries in electric vehicles.
It is North America's only producer of radioactive, medical grade cobalt-60, a type of radiation used to treat brain tumors at facilities like the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.
Most recently, INL became the first facility to receive a specialty fuel to power microreactors specifically designed to bolster military readiness.
Utah has joined with Tennessee Valley Authority to partner on developing and modeling advanced nuclear reactors at TVA's Clinch River site, leveraging Utah's engineering expertise. It is a $400 million endeavor.
Grid enhancement is not to be left out
Torus hosted Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, at its South Salt Lake facility in August, showing the company's growth from a small prototype in a garage to a full-scale manufacturing operation.
Torus builds inertial-based distributed power plants — advanced hybrid flywheel battery systems that deliver the same benefits as traditional power generation, but without combustion, chemicals or emissions.
Curtis praised Torus's growth and highlighted Utah's role in strengthening America's energy independence. He said if he had magic powers, he would bring the project back to Washington, D.C., to show his colleagues the exceptional work unfolding in the arena of energy independence.
