Nuclear power in Utah? Senators say 'yes, please'

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — State lawmakers are considering a non-binding resolution welcoming nuclear power to Utah, although opponents are concerned about the radioactive waste it would generate.

The resolution, sponsored by Republican Sen. Curt Bramble of Provo, was passed out of a Senate committee on Monday.

It “recognizes that advanced nuclear technology is a safe, resilient, and environmentally sustainable energy resource.”

“Many, myself included, believe that nuclear is the wave of the future if we want to clean up our airshed, if we want to deal with the challenges with carbon-based fuels,” Bramble said.

The state currently has no nuclear power plants.

Michael Simpson, the chair of the University of Utah’s metallurgical engineering department, said the latest nuclear technology is safer and unlikely to be susceptible to the problems that led to high-profile disasters like Fukushima.

“These advanced nuclear reactors are looking to build systems so that that sort of thing can’t happen,” Simpson said.

One such project could power Utah homes in the next decade or so. Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems, working with a company called NuScale, is planning a nuclear facility to be built in Idaho."

It’s now moving through the regulatory process, and the company said the facility should be fully operational by 2027.

“Utah is being put on the map nationally because of this project,” said Mike Squires of UAMPS. “This is first-in-kind technology.”

Simpson said nuclear power is cleaner, but he raised concerns about the cost and the nuclear waste.

“The state of Utah should be wary of starting a project to build a nuclear reactor if there’s no place for them to send the fuel,” Simpson said.

“It really is incredibly poisonous stuff,” said Michael Shea of the environmental nonprofit HEAL Utah, “and even if they can store it within the site itself, there’s still a lot of potential for contamination or accidents.”

Asked whether he shared concerns about the waste, Sen. Bramble said: “Not at all. I believe it can be both dealt with responsibly and effectively.”

A spokeswoman for Rocky Mountain Power said the utility had no plans to build a nuclear facility, with a statement that reads: “Our most recent Integrated Resource Plan (2017 IRP) included a cost analysis that reflected nuclear generation to be more costly than other resources. However, we are always evaluating emerging technologies to support future needs.”

The resolution now moves to the full Senate.