Some residents concerned ordinance change could open door to small modular nuclear reactor in Eagle Mountain
Jan 21, 2025, 6:17 PM | Updated: 6:29 pm
EAGLE MOUNTAIN — On Tuesday night, Eagle Mountain’s city council was expected to consider an ordinance change that could potentially open the door to a small modular nuclear reactor.
Prior to the meeting, some residents expressed a variety of concerns about that type of facility, including fears ranging from the impact on homeowners’ insurance to the potential for ground contamination, a nuclear disaster, or even a terror attack.
“We already have a bunch of data centers here, which lead us to being a terrorist target,” said resident Megan Strader. “If you were to only add in the NSA (data center in Bluffdale), which are our neighbors and two leading military bases just close by—it’s a bullseye.”
City leaders said they were eyeing an “all-the-above” energy strategy as they aimed to better deal with “enormous” growth that also included data centers and planned data center expansions.
“This allows a range of uses, natural gas being one of those, battery storage solar is another one,” said Eagle Mountain communication manager Tyler Maffitt. “I think a lot of residents are focused on small modular reactors and I think it’s because it’s a relatively new technology and it’s one that residents have some questions about.”
While Maffitt said the city was looking at various possible energy solutions, small modular reactors were something officials had researched.
“We have really been involved in the research process, talking to energy industry experts, talking to detractors and scientists who may disagree with those perspectives,” Maffitt said. “More than anything, we really want to make the best decision for Eagle Mountain.”
Maffitt said it was unclear if the council might act on the issue at the 7 p.m. city council meeting, but city leaders were expecting a “robust” discussion on the topic.
One of the concerns about having the reactor is the risk of a nuclear accident in the future.
“We have a beautiful state, and the fallout of a nuclear reactor overheating, it doesn’t just travel within your city; it travels all over,” Strader said.
Strader said she wasn’t opposed to a discussion about nuclear power in Utah, but she hoped a community wouldn’t decide on it as an option out of extreme need.
“When you have desperation, you make rash decisions,” she said. “With rash decisions, you make mistakes, and that’s what we don’t want here. We don’t want a big mistake.”