Utah advances as contender for federal nuclear innovation campus

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah has advanced as one of five potential hosts for a federal nuclear energy campus, a proposal state leaders say could bring billions of dollars in investment and thousands of jobs while expanding the nation’s domestic nuclear fuel supply chain.

The announcement is also drawing calls for greater public scrutiny over radioactive waste, water use, emergency planning and the still-undefined scope of the project.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced Tuesday that Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Idaho were selected as initial contenders for its proposed Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses. The department reviewed 28 applications from 26 states.

The selection does not mean Utah has secured a campus.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright has signed memorandums of understanding with the five states to continue exploring the proposals. States that decide to move forward would later negotiate hosting agreements with the federal government, according to the department.

Utah and Tooele County announced in March that they were jointly responding to the federal opportunity and had identified a location in Tooele County as a potential site. State officials have not publicly announced a final site or detailed development plan.

The proposed campuses could support several stages of the nuclear fuel lifecycle, including fuel fabrication, uranium enrichment, reprocessing of used nuclear fuel and its final disposition, according to the Energy Department. Depending on state priorities, a campus could also include advanced nuclear reactors, electricity generation, manufacturing and data centers.

The department estimates that a campus could attract up to $50 billion in capital investment, generate as much as $10 billion in state and local tax revenue and create nearly 25,000 jobs. Those figures are federal projections for a potential campus, not investment or employment commitments made specifically to Utah.

U.S. Sen. John Curtis praised Utah’s selection Tuesday, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen the country’s domestic nuclear supply chain and create high-paying jobs.

“Utah has earned a reputation as one of the nation’s leaders in advanced energy innovation, and today’s announcement is another vote of confidence in our state’s future,” Curtis said in a statement released by his office.

Curtis thanked President Donald Trump, Wright, Gov. Spencer Cox and others involved in advancing Utah’s application.

Cox said the proposal complements Operation Gigawatt, his administration’s broader effort to expand electricity generation and position Utah as a leader in nuclear and other energy technologies.

“Utah welcomes the chance to help America reclaim its leadership in civil nuclear energy,” Cox said in the Energy Department’s announcement. “Through Operation Gigawatt, Utah is developing the entire nuclear lifecycle, from fuel production to advanced reactor deployment.”

Tooele County Council Chair Jared Hamner said in March that the county’s existing nuclear-industry experience and infrastructure could make it a suitable host.

“Hosting an Innovation Campus in Tooele would provide an opportunity to supercharge our economy by bringing long-term, high-paying jobs that will support Tooele families,” Hamner said in the state’s announcement.

The proposal has also raised concerns among environmental advocates about the consequences of expanding nuclear fuel processing and waste management in Utah.

HEAL Utah has warned that a campus could increase the amount and types of radioactive material transported to or stored in the state. The advocacy organization has also raised questions about groundwater, air patterns, the Great Salt Lake, public health protections and opportunities for residents to participate in decisions.

The group argues that the proposal could eventually open Utah to high-level radioactive waste that is not currently permitted for disposal in the state. That is HEAL Utah’s concern, not an announced element of a Utah project.

The Energy Department has said campuses may include reprocessing and final disposition of used nuclear fuel, but it has not specified which activities would be included at a Utah campus. The department has said each proposal would depend on state priorities, regional capabilities and future agreements.

HEAL Utah has also questioned the economic projections surrounding nuclear development, citing concerns about project costs, taxpayer subsidies, lengthy construction timelines and whether promised jobs and investment would materialize.

The organization is scheduled to hold a town hall for Tooele County residents Aug. 4 at the Tooele City Public Library. Organizers said the discussion will cover potential benefits and concerns, including jobs, costs, energy needs, public health, emergency preparedness, waste management, transparency and public participation.

The Energy Department first invited states to express interest in the campus program in January. Applicants were asked to describe their workforce, infrastructure, economic-development and technology goals, along with the nuclear activities they would consider hosting and the funding or risk-sharing structures they believed would be necessary.

No final Utah site, facility design, committed private investor or construction schedule has been announced. The Energy Department’s Tuesday announcement also did not provide a date for selecting final campus locations.