Celeste Maloy, Kent Udell split on monuments, more in 3rd Congressional District debate
During a congressional debate in St. George, Democratic candidate Kent Udell called for a moratorium on new data centers in Utah, while Republican Rep. Celeste Maloy said decisions should be made by local governments. The discussion also referenced Valor Atomics’ proposal for data centers and small nuclear reactors on federal land near Price, with both candidates addressing the energy demands associated with artificial intelligence.
At a Utah 3rd Congressional District debate at Utah Tech University in St. George, Democratic nominee Kent Udell called for a moratorium on new data centers in Utah. Republican Rep. Celeste Maloy declined to endorse a statewide pause, arguing that county commissioners and city councils are better positioned to determine whether projects fit local resources and grid capacity.
The candidates also discussed a proposed Valor Atomics project involving data centers and small nuclear reactors on about 9,000 acres of federal land near Price. Maloy supported nuclear power as a way to meet the energy demands of artificial intelligence, while Udell questioned its safety and economics and warned against burdening taxpayers with an uneconomical project.