Amid intense Box Elder County data center debate, another energy plan quietly edges ahead

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The controversial O'Leary Digital data center proposal isn't the only Box Elder County project focused on bolstering power production.
• Utah officials and Hi Tech Solutions unveiled plans last year to develop a "nuclear energy ecosystem" in the Brigham City area.
• The Hi Tech plans, which haven't sparked the sort of backlash that the O'Leary proposal has, are edging ahead.

BRIGHAM CITY — As the intense debate surrounding a proposed data center and power-production facility in Box Elder County unfolds, another major energy initiative in the county is quietly edging ahead.

Hi Tech Solutions and Holtec International announced plans last November for a "nuclear energy ecosystem" to be developed in and around Brigham City, the Box Elder County seat. Four to 10 small modular reactors tapping nuclear technology would be built around the city, and numerous Utah leaders, including Gov. Spencer Cox, gathered for the unveiling of the plans.

In contrast to the clamor spurred by plans calling for a data center complex and the installation of up to 9 gigawatts of power-producing capacity to serve the operation, the initiative unveiled late last year has prompted no public backlash.

A Hi Tech rep didn't address the contrasting responses, but said the nuclear initiative — unveiled at a high-profile press conference that also included Utah Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz — is moving forward. Apart from installing the reactors, each capable of generating perhaps 300 megawatts of power or 1.2 to 3 gigawatts if four to 10 are built, the company would manufacture the small modular reactor technology for export elsewhere.

"Conversations are ongoing regarding specific land components involved in the project. Because multiple partners are part of that process, no final decisions have been made yet. The community will be engaged every step of the way," Hi Tech said in a statement to KSL.com. "The team does not have an exact timeline to share and is focused on getting the details right for the community rather than rushing an announcement."

Carmen Valdez, senior policy associate for HEAL Utah, an environmental advocacy group that keeps close tabs on nuclear energy exploration in Utah, said the Hi Tech proposal is on the group's radar. Maybe it hasn't sparked the sort of public response that the data center plans have, she said, because many don't know much about the technology to be used.

The data center initiative, spearheaded by celebrity businessman Kevin O'Leary and O'Leary Digital, has sparked protests, intense social media backlash, and a drive to repeal the May 4 resolutions approved by Box Elder County commissioners that allow the plans to proceed. Opponents are planning a rally on Thursday at the Utah Capitol.

"Many people may still be unfamiliar with small modular reactors and the long-term impacts they can have. Additionally, nuclear reactors, including SMRs, will take years before they are built and operational," Valdez said.

HEAL Utah, at any rate, thinks the Hi Tech plans merit close scrutiny. Those involved haven't specified how much power the planned $750 million development would generate. Renderings of the proposed modular reactors, however, show facilities capable of generating 300 megawatts of power each, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

"We believe any energy project, including nuclear, should be subject to strong public oversight, transparent safety planning, responsible waste management and careful review of water use and environmental impacts before moving forward," Valdez said. "With the recent actions from Box Elder County for the data center, we are concerned about making sure the public and emergency responders are included in these decisions."

Brigham City Mayor D.J. Bott didn't respond to a query seeking comment.

'The nuclear renaissance'

A big worry for the opponents of the Stratos Area Project, as the O'Leary project is known, is the water the data center and power-generation components would require for cooling and the possible impact on the Great Salt Lake. According to Valdez, it's not completely clear how much water the Hi Tech plans would require.

"Small modular reactors still require significant resources, including water for cooling in many designs, and they produce radioactive waste that remains hazardous for generations. Even with theoretical plans, we will not know the full water consumption until we see a reactor in operation," she said.

Boosters of the O'Leary Digital plans say the project would tap into modern technology that minimizes water use. Moreover, backers of both the Hi Tech and O'Leary plans say they are important to national security due to their power-producing capabilities. They also tout the initiatives as drivers of job creation and economic development.

"Brigham City is stepping up as a leader in the nuclear renaissance," Cox said in a social media post last November when the Hi Tech plans were unveiled. Thanks to the initiative, "we will manufacture advanced reactor components, train a world-class workforce and ensure reliable, affordable power for Utah and the nation."

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

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Tim Vandenack

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Tim Vandenack covers immigration, multicultural issues and Northern Utah for KSL. He worked several years for the Standard-Examiner in Ogden and has lived and reported in Mexico, Chile and along the U.S.-Mexico border.