Overview
- Gov. Spencer Cox announced a partnership with Holtec International and Hi Tech Solutions under Operation Gigawatt to build a manufacturing and training campus near Brigham City and to pursue a fleet of small modular reactors.
- State leaders forecast about $750 million in private investment and roughly 1,350 jobs, including veteran-focused hiring and collaborations with Utah colleges to build a specialized nuclear workforce.
- Executives sketched an indicative timeline: factory operations targeted for 2027–28, possible construction on the campus within 18–24 months, and initial reactors potentially online in the early 2030s.
- Holtec said the factory will not use or store radioactive materials, fuel would go only to operating plants, and permit applications and specific sites have yet to be submitted or finalized.
- Officials cited surging demand from AI, data centers and military installations and said MIDA could aid land assembly and expedited reviews, while community and environmental groups pressed for transparency and safety assurances.