Valar Atomics Proposes 9.6-Gigawatt Off-Grid Nuclear Campus for Data Centers in Utah

Energy startup Valar Atomics has submitted a formal application to construct a nuclear power generation complex near Price, Utah, designed to supply 9.6 gigawatts of dedicated electricity primarily to data centers and computing facilities, as reported by TechRadar Pro (https://www.techradar.com/pro/phone-communications/nearly-10-000-acres-of-utah-public-land-could-host-456-nuclear-reactors-enough-power-for-7-8-million-homes-but-no-home-will-get-any-of-that-power). The initiative, designated Project Beehive, outlines an off-grid power hub intended to meet the soaring energy consumption of high-performance computing infrastructure.

According to project filings, Valar Atomics is seeking approval to secure over 9,000 acres of federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior. The company is also pursuing rights to roughly 650 adjacent acres controlled by the state of Utah, which would expand the proposed site's total footprint beyond 9,650 acres. Prior to selecting the site near Price, Valar evaluated a 10,200-acre tract near Green River, Utah, before abandoning that location in favor of the current request.

The installation plan specifies the deployment of 456 modular nuclear reactors, each rated at 25 megawatts. Valar intends to construct the modular units incrementally to match expanding data processing demands over time. However, the figures disclosed in the documentation indicate an unexplained mathematical variance: multiplying 456 units by 25 megawatts yields 11.4 gigawatts of total potential capacity, creating a 1.8-gigawatt discrepancy against the stated 9.6-gigawatt output target.

Project Beehive is designed to operate entirely independent of the public electrical grid, providing direct power and high-temperature industrial heat directly to co-located data centers and manufacturing facilities. The target output of 9.6 gigawatts would exceed Utah's current average grid generation of 4 gigawatts by more than two times. Based on average U.S. household electricity consumption of 900 to 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month, continuous generation at this scale could supply between 7 million and 7.8 million residential homes—or roughly 5.4 to 6 times the energy needed for all 1.3 million homes in Utah, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Despite this scale, none of the generated electricity is earmarked for residential use or public utilities.

From a technical standpoint, Valar's proposed reactors rely on a cooling system powered by helium gas, utilizing graphite moderators and tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel. The company's proposal includes plans to build on-site facilities for both fuel manufacturing and the long-term storage of spent nuclear waste within the boundaries of the campus.

Before physical construction can commence on federal territory, the BLM must determine that Valar's application is complete and undertake a formal review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The NEPA evaluation process requires federal regulators to analyze potential environmental impacts and provide opportunities for public commentary, opening a legal avenue for supporters and opponents to register formal feedback on the project. Under Valar's proposed schedule, non-nuclear site preparation would begin in late 2026, with initial reactor operations commencing in 2028 and full site completion anticipated by 2032.

The proposal has drawn scrutiny from local community organizations and regional advocacy groups. Opponents have raised concerns regarding the scale of the development, its placement on public lands, the introduction of heavy industrial manufacturing, and the potential long-term environmental risks associated with storing nuclear waste on site.

To fund its corporate operations and technology development, Valar Atomics previously raised $1 billion in Series B venture capital in a financing round led by Sequoia Capital, alongside an additional $200 million credit facility. The company has not disclosed the total estimated capital cost required to build Project Beehive. Furthermore, because federal land allocations and environmental permits remain pending, there is no guarantee that the project will adhere to its proposed timeline or achieve final construction.