Utah Nuclear Data Campus
Valar Proposes Massive Nuclear Powered Data Campus on Utah Public Lands
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Key Points
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The proposed reactors would use helium cooling and TRISO fuel, which is encased in ceramic and carbon layers and designed to withstand extreme heat; the gas-cooling design is intended to reduce water use in Utah’s arid climate.
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Valar demonstrated its Ward 250 microreactor about 30 miles from the proposed site: it achieved criticality in June, and in a July 1 demonstration electricity from the reactor powered an Nvidia microchip.
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Valar’s broader nuclear expansion strategy includes a reported $1 billion Series B round and a $200 million credit facility, although the company has not disclosed Project Beehive’s total construction cost; full development could potentially be completed by 2032.
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The BLM said data centers support the nation’s technology, security and economic growth, and that public lands can help meet this need when projects are designed responsibly.
Valar Atomics is proposing Project Beehive, a massive nuclear-powered data center on more than 9,000 acres of federal land near Price, Utah East Idaho News. The project would deploy roughly 456 small reactors generating 9.6 gigawatts—more than double Utah's average electricity output. Utah has already approved a separate 640-acre state land lease KSL, while the Bureau of Land Management reviews the federal application.
The reactors would use helium cooling and ceramic-encased TRISO fuel to cut water use in Utah's dry climate Interesting Engineering. Valar aims to start non-nuclear construction in late 2026 and bring the first reactors online by 2028. But local critics and environmental groups oppose the project's scale, waste storage, and use of public lands.
The Scale: 456 Reactors and 9.6 Gigawatts
Project Beehive would dwarf Utah's current power grid. The 456 reactors combined would produce 9.6 gigawatts—more than twice the state's average electricity generation More Than Just Parks. The campus spans over 9,000 acres of federal Bureau of Land Management land, plus 640 acres of state trust land already approved by Utah East Idaho News. The complex also includes nuclear fuel production and waste storage facilities.
Valar's Technology: Helium Cooling and TRISO Fuel
Valar's reactors use helium gas cooling instead of water, a design meant to reduce water demand in Utah's arid climate Interesting Engineering. The fuel uses TRISO technology—uranium particles coated in ceramic and carbon layers that withstand extreme heat without melting Belaaz. Valar already demonstrated a Ward 250 microreactor about 30 miles from the proposed site. It reached criticality in June, and in a July demonstration, the reactor's electricity powered an Nvidia microchip.
Timeline and Funding for Full Development
Valar's schedule targets late 2026 for non-nuclear construction to begin. The company expects first reactors online by 2028 and full completion potentially by 2032. The startup is backing the push with ambitious funding: a reported $1 billion Series B round and a $200 million credit facility More Than Just Parks. However, the company has not disclosed Project Beehive's total construction cost.
Federal Review Underway Amid Political Opposition
The Bureau of Land Management stated that data centers support the nation's technology, security, and economic growth, and that public lands can help meet this need when projects are responsibly designed East Idaho News. The BLM is now reviewing Valar's federal application. Separately, Senator Ron Wyden introduced legislation to bar new data centers and related infrastructure on federally owned public lands, signaling congressional resistance to such mega-projects on government property.
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