Valar Atomics, energy storage and more discussed at Price City Council meeting
Valar Atomics presented plans for a proposed nuclear energy development in Carbon County to the Price City Council, including potential support for data center customers. Residents and council members questioned the project’s water use, environmental oversight, waste storage, taxes, infrastructure, electricity costs and emergency response, but the council took no action because the presentation was informational.
Valar Atomics representative Harry Hanson briefed the Price City Council on the company’s proposed Carbon County nuclear development, which would initially use about 640 acres of state trust land while the company pursues additional Bureau of Land Management acreage. The project could begin site work as early as 2027, but its schedule depends on licensing and other approvals. Hanson said the reactors would use helium cooling and that Valar was working with potential data center customers using closed-loop cooling systems.
Council members and residents questioned whether promised tax revenue, jobs and infrastructure commitments would be guaranteed, along with issues involving water, grazing, nuclear waste, emergency response, electricity costs and transportation of nuclear materials. Hanson said spent fuel would initially be stored in dry casks and that the company’s Orangeville test reactor had safely shut down during a July failure test, though it does not yet have a commercial operating license. The council took no action on the Valar proposal.