Valar Atomics Proposes 456 Nuclear Reactors in Utah, Power for Data Centers Not Residents

Valar Atomics has formally proposed building 456 modular nuclear reactors on more than 9,000 hectares of federal land around Price, Utah. The project, dubbed Project Beehive, is projected to supply 9.6 gigawatts (GW) of electricity — far exceeding the state's average total generation of only about 4 GW. If realized, the facility would be one of the largest civilian nuclear complexes in the United States, but all of its power is allocated to data centers and industrial operations, not household consumption.

Each reactor unit is designed for 25 megawatts (MW), so 456 units should total 11.4 GW. However, the published figure is only 9.6 GW, leaving an unexplained gap of 1.8 GW. The discrepancy raises questions about the technical assumptions or capacity factors Valar is using. Regardless, the modular approach allows the company to build in phases following growth in computing demand, keeping construction risk in check.

In addition to federal land, Valar is also requesting about 650 hectares controlled by the state of Utah, bringing the total campus footprint to more than 9,650 hectares. Previously, the company had looked at 10,200 hectares near Green River but canceled that and shifted to the Price site. The plan includes a fuel fabrication plant and nuclear waste storage in the same area, with helium cooling technology, a graphite moderator, and TRISO fuel, which is claimed to be safer.

Project Beehive highlights a shift in the US energy landscape: data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) demand massive and stable power supplies, which public grids cannot always meet. Valar claims its campus will be independent of the grid, generating its own electricity and also supplying industrial heat to manufacturing plants. However, the final decision rests with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under the Department of the Interior, which must complete a feasibility review and environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The NEPA process opens room for public participation, giving both supporters and opponents a chance to speak.

Local community groups have voiced concerns about the project's scale, its location, waste storage, and industrial activity on public land. To date, there is no guarantee that Project Beehive will proceed on schedule or be fully realized.

On funding, Valar has raised US$1 billion in a Series B round led by Sequoia Capital, plus a US$200 million credit facility. Those funds are corporate capital, not the construction cost of Project Beehive, which has not been disclosed. The absence of cost details and a firm schedule is a risk in itself, especially if the environmental review takes longer than expected.

For Indonesia, Valar's move could serve as a mirror. The government is pushing the development of national data centers and AI-based industries, while power supply still relies on coal and gas. Nuclear power as a clean energy source keeps coming up in discourse, but is often held back by safety and waste issues. Small modular reactor (SMR) models like the one Valar offers may be relevant for remote areas or industrial zones outside Java, provided a regulatory framework and strict oversight are prepared. Without that, similar ambitions risk running into public rejection.

Going forward, the question is not only whether Project Beehive passes environmental review, but also whether a private nuclear power model serving data centers entirely will become a global precedent. If it succeeds, a wave of similar investment could follow in other countries — including Indonesia — with major consequences for energy governance and spatial planning. But if it fails, the project could be a warning that the AI boom does not always align with nuclear safety and public acceptance.