Idaho-based energy company to bring 'transformative' nuclear reactor to Utah
By Logan Stefanich, KSL.com
The Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station at sunrise in Middletown, Penn., on Oct. 16, 2024. A fission nuclear microreactor capable of producing electricity and high-temperature heat is set for a test run in Utah. (Shannon Stapleton, Reuters)
ORANGEVILLE, Emery County — A revolutionary fission nuclear microreactor capable of producing electricity and high-temperature heat is set for a test run at the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab.
The move is a result of a memorandum of understanding signed by the Utah Office of Energy Development and NuCube Energy, an Idaho-based nuclear energy company.
Along with sitting one of NuCube's microreactors at the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab, the signing is also a significant step toward bringing NuCube's modular reactors to the market.
These reactors are unique in that they can produce the highest-temperature heat from a fission reactor, which can be easily integrated with chemical processes and energy conversion technologies, providing double value by generating electricity or providing heat for other industrial processes.
Producing electricity via high-temperature heat, NuCube's reactors can compete with natural gas for industrial customers. Additionally, the modular nature of the reactors allows for cost-competitive electricity that can also be operated independently from existing power grids, which could be "transformative" for rural areas in states like Utah.
"Utah has an enormous amount of momentum as it explores how best to leverage nuclear energy to meet the needs of its residents and businesses," Cristian Rabiti, CEO and cofounder of NuCube, said in a statement. "NuCube's innovative reactor is ideal for Utah, and we're looking forward to bringing the highest temperature application for nuclear energy to the state for the first time. We are especially excited to be working with (Utah San Rafael Energy Lab) given its proven track record of demonstrating advanced power generation technologies, including a supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle."
The signing announcement comes after President Donald Trump in May ordered the nation's independent nuclear regulatory commission to cut down on regulations and fast-track new licenses for reactors and power plants, seeking to shrink a multiyear process down to 18 months.
The requirement was part of a batch of executive orders signed by Trump to boost U.S. nuclear energy production amid a boom in demand from data centers and artificial intelligence.
Licensing for reactors in the U.S. can take over a decade at times, a process designed to prioritize nuclear safety but which has discouraged new projects.
A release from the Utah Office of Energy Development and NuCube noted the safety of NuCube's reactors, explaining the company's reactor design utilizes TRISO (tristructural-isotropic) fuel and heat pipe technology — designed to minimize the use of moving parts within the reactor, enhancing safety and reliability.
Utah has already attracted interest from other energy companies, too, with Texas-based Fervo Energy's next-generation geothermal energy project being developed in Beaver County. It's set to deliver 400 megawatts of 24/7 carbon-free electricity and is the world's largest next-generation geothermal project.
In October 2024, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox committed to doubling the state's power production over the next decade in a move being called Operation Gigawatt.
The governor outlined several ways the state aims to meet growing energy demand at the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce's Growth and Prosperity Summit in November 2024, including the use of natural gas and coal reserves in the short term, as well as hydrogen storage and hydrothermal energy.
Cox said, "Probably the most important — the answer to all of these questions — is nuclear." The governors of Idaho, Wyoming and Utah have been working to build a coalition to get nuclear technology online "faster, better and cheaper," he said.
Emy Lesofski, director of the Utah Office of Energy Development, thinks the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab is the perfect place for the next step of NuCube's microreactor technology development.
"The lab will be a site for a variety of research projects that focus on keeping our energy clean, affordable, reliable and sustainable. The research at (Utah San Rafael Energy Lab) will play a critical role in bringing promising technologies to market safely and quickly so the state can continue to increase its reliable and clean energy supply, while also working with local community members. We're particularly excited about NuCube's technology because of the opportunities around research it will afford," Lesofski said.