Startup Proposes Massive Nuclear-Powered Data Center on Federal Land in Utah

A startup named Valar Atomics has submitted a proposal to federal regulators to build a massive nuclear-powered data center project on public land in Utah, according to documents reviewed by NPR.

Project Beehive Details

Dubbed "Project Beehive," the planned facility would be located on over 9,000 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management near Price, Utah. The proposal outlines plans for:

• Approximately 456 small nuclear reactors
• Associated data centers
• A nuclear fuel production facility
• Nuclear waste storage facilities

According to the company's proposal, the aggregate output of the reactors is planned to reach around 9.6 gigawatts of power for the data centers and thermal heat for industrial uses. Additionally, the company has sought the use of about 650 acres of state land for the project, as reported by state records.

Timeline and Regulatory Status

The project's timeline indicates that nonnuclear construction could potentially begin as early as the end of this year, with the first reactors expected to come online by 2028 and the full site potentially completed by 2032. However, the proposal remains subject to regulatory review and approval.

The Bureau of Land Management's Utah office confirmed receipt of the application and stated it is reviewing it for completeness. The application must move through the required National Environmental Policy Act process, which includes opportunities for public input.

Background and Context

Valar Atomics has been involved with recent federal nuclear regulatory reforms and was accepted into the Department of Energy's Reactor Pilot Program in August 2025. Earlier this year, a test reactor known as Ward 250 achieved criticality in the Utah desert and was used in a demonstration to power an Nvidia microchip.

The scale of Project Beehive has drawn scrutiny from local environmental advocates and nonprofits, such as the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah, who have raised concerns regarding the use of public lands and the cumulative impact of data center proposals in the state.

Valar Atomics stated that it is committed to public engagement and that no construction will begin prior to obtaining necessary permits and approvals.