Residents in Carbon County, Utah packed a planning commission meeting to oppose Valar Atomics' proposal to build around 70 small nuclear reactors near Price. The company says the project would create hundreds of jobs and attract factories that would buy the power. Some residents say they don't believe the jobs promise and worry about environmental harm. Public comment was not allowed at the meeting. Valar CEO Isaiah Taylor said the company would not build if the community does not want the project. The company already runs a facility in neighboring Emery County that employs 70 people. The planning commission has not made a decision, and no timeline for a vote was given. The dispute highlights a common tension in clean energy siting: local economic benefits versus environmental and safety concerns. For carbon credit and energy market observers, the outcome could signal how easily small modular reactor projects advance in rural Utah.
