Massive Nuclear-Powered Data Center Proposed for Federal Land in Utah
Valar Atomics, a nuclear-energy startup, has proposed Project Beehive, a massive data center complex to be powered by hundreds of small nuclear reactors on over 9,000 acres of federal land near Price, Utah. The proposal, which also includes nuclear fuel production and waste storage, is currently under review by the Bureau of Land Management. Environmental advocates and local activists are expressing significant concern over the project's scale and its potential implications for public lands.
Valar Atomics, a nuclear-energy startup, is seeking federal approval to construct a massive data center complex, dubbed Project Beehive, on over 9,000 acres of federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management near Price, Utah. The ambitious plan includes approximately 456 small nuclear reactors capable of generating 9.6 gigawatts of electricity, along with facilities for nuclear fuel production and waste handling.
According to documents reviewed by NPR, the company, whose founder Isaiah Taylor has stated a commitment to safety and community cooperation, anticipates beginning non-nuclear construction by the end of this year, with the first reactors operational by 2028. Valar Atomics is also pursuing an additional 650 acres of Utah state-owned property for the development.
The proposal is drawing significant concern from environmental groups like the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah. Neal Clark of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance expressed worry about the project's advancement on public lands, while Lexi Tuddenham of the Healthy Environment Alliance highlighted the need to raise public awareness about the project's potential far-reaching implications for public land use. The Utah office of the Bureau of Land Management confirmed receipt of Valar Atomics' application and stated that the public would have opportunities for input during the National Environmental Policy Act review.
Project Beehive reflects growing industry interest in small nuclear reactors, an effort that has received support from the Trump administration through regulatory changes aimed at accelerating their development. Valar Atomics has been a part of these efforts, with its experimental Ward 250 reactor recently generating electricity in a neighboring county, demonstrating the technology at a smaller scale.