Key Takeaways:
- Creekstone Energy and EnergySolutions have entered into a strategic partnership to evaluate nuclear power options for the Utah Creekstone Gigasite.
- The partnership aims to assess the potential for next-generation nuclear capacity to support long-term clean energy needs at the Gigasite.
- The evaluation will consider various reactor technologies and site readiness, with a focus on feasibility, regulatory progress, and commercial conditions.
- The project aligns with Utah’s goal to double its energy production within 10 years and support the growth of AI and data centers.
- The partnership has the potential to create one of the largest clean-energy concentrations in the United States and reinforce Utah’s leadership in advanced energy innovation.
Introduction to the Partnership
Creekstone Energy and EnergySolutions have announced a memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic partnership, aiming to evaluate potential nuclear power options to support long-term clean energy needs at the Utah Creekstone Gigasite. The Gigasite, located in Delta, is being developed as one of the nation’s most advanced multisource energy and data-infrastructure platforms, designed to meet the rapidly expanding U.S. demand for artificial intelligence and data centers. The company’s eventual goal is to provide approximately 10 gigawatts of non-nuclear generation at the Gigasite through a diversified portfolio of power and infrastructure technologies.
Evaluating Nuclear Power Options
The evaluation of at least 2 gigawatts of next-generation nuclear capacity introduces a potential pathway to create one of the largest clean-energy concentrations in the United States and a central pillar in Utah’s long-term energy future. Under the agreement, the parties will undertake a "Phase 1" evaluation effort, focused on developing a nuclear program roadmap with timelines tied to feasibility, regulatory progress, and commercial conditions. The evaluation will consider various reactor technologies, site readiness, and integration requirements within Creekstone’s multi-source energy strategy, including transmission, cooling, and infrastructure interfaces.
The Role of EnergySolutions
EnergySolutions’ operational, technical, and regulatory expertise and longstanding leadership in the U.S. nuclear sector will be invaluable to the success of the project. The company’s executive vice president for strategic initiatives and partnerships, Pierre Oneid, stated that Creekstone is approaching the evaluation the right way, grounding every step in thorough analysis, clear options, and a disciplined process. EnergySolutions’ role is to help Creekstone fully understand the nuclear pathways available and what it would take to make any of those options viable for a site of this scale.
The Demand for Clean Energy
The demand for clean, reliable, long-duration power in the United States is rising rapidly, driven by the growth of AI, data centers, and other energy-intensive digital infrastructure. Nuclear energy is one potential source capable of supporting these needs at scale. Because nuclear development involves long regulatory and planning timelines, early evaluation is critical to understanding which options, if any, may be viable for the Gigasite. The project falls in line with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s Operation Gigawatt, an initiative to double Utah’s energy production within 10 years.
Utah’s Energy Landscape
Utah has become a focal point in the U.S. race to lead out in AI centers, with Millard County emerging as a key location. A state-of-the-art facility was slated to break ground in Millard County, utilizing land owned by one of the founding partners, as well as water rights that belonged to his family for 50 years. According to data from Baxtel, Utah currently has 47 data center facilities that occupy over 6.3 million square feet and consume nearly 600 megawatts of power. The Gigasite location is ideally suited for what officials have planned, offering proximity to major transmission corridors, extensive existing energy infrastructure, land suitable for utility-scale development, and a supportive regulatory and policy environment.
National Significance
The project has national significance, with President Donald Trump having announced a more than $90 billion investment by private energy and tech companies to help Pennsylvania get on the train to a secure, innovative energy future. There has also been significant investment in Idaho National Laboratory, the nation’s premier nuclear research and demonstration lab northwest of Salt Lake City. Locations of key data centers already established or under development include northern Virginia, Texas, Arizona, the Pacific Northwest, California, Iowa, and Utah. The benefits to Utah include the ability to strengthen Utah’s clean-energy portfolio, support high-quality jobs, enhance the reliability for critical AI-era infrastructure, and reinforce Utah’s leadership in advanced energy innovation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the partnership between Creekstone Energy and EnergySolutions has the potential to create one of the largest clean-energy concentrations in the United States and reinforce Utah’s leadership in advanced energy innovation. The evaluation of next-generation nuclear capacity will consider various reactor technologies, site readiness, and integration requirements, with a focus on feasibility, regulatory progress, and commercial conditions. The project aligns with Utah’s goal to double its energy production within 10 years and support the growth of AI and data centers, and has national significance in the context of the U.S. energy landscape.