Project Beehive could transform more than 9,000 acres of Utah public land into a massive nuclear-powered computing campus. The proposed construction near Price would combine data centers, hundreds of advanced reactors, fuel production and nuclear waste facilities.
Valar Atomics submitted the proposal to federal regulators as it pursues a large, grid-independent energy and technology development. The project could begin non-nuclear construction by the end of 2026, while the first reactors could enter service in 2028.
The proposed development would sit on Bureau of Land Management land near Price, Utah. Valar also seeks approximately 650 acres of state land for the wider development.
Project Beehive construction targets 9.6GW nuclear capacity
Project Beehive would deploy approximately 456 small nuclear reactors across the proposed site. Together, those units could generate around 9.6GW of electricity for the planned data centers.
The planned reactor units would produce 25MW each, allowing Valar to develop the site in phases. This modular approach could let individual reactors support expanding computing capacity.
Utah currently generates roughly 4GW of electricity on average. Therefore, Project Beehive’s proposed output would exceed twice the state’s average generation.
The development would extend beyond electricity generation. Valar’s proposal includes nuclear fuel production and facilities for storing nuclear waste.
The company also expects the reactors to provide thermal energy for industrial applications. Those applications could include energy-intensive manufacturing and other industrial operations.
Valar’s technology uses high-temperature gas reactor principles, with TRISO fuel, graphite moderation and helium cooling.
The company has already tested its Ward 250 reactor at the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab. The reactor achieved fueled criticality on June 18, 2026.
In July, Valar also demonstrated electricity production from Ward 250. The demonstration powered a single Nvidia microchip using electricity generated by the reactor.
The push for large-scale computing infrastructure is also driving major data center construction elsewhere in the United States. In Virginia, the PowerHouse Pacific Data Center is taking shape as a 265MW campus in Sterling, adding another major development to the country’s expanding digital infrastructure pipeline.
Project Beehive construction faces public-land review
Project Beehive construction still requires federal land-use and environmental approvals before major development can proceed. The Bureau of Land Management is reviewing Valar’s application for completeness.
The proposal would require review under the National Environmental Policy Act. That process can include environmental analysis and opportunities for public participation.
The proposed site also expands Valar’s footprint beyond its earlier Utah public-land application. The company previously considered about 10,200 acres near Green River before abandoning that location.
Meanwhile, Utah’s Trust Lands Administration approved a separate lease involving approximately one square mile. The agreement could generate about $35 million in lease revenue over 50 years.
Local groups have raised concerns about the scale and location of the development. Their concerns include nuclear waste storage and the industrial use of public land.
Valar’s wider financing provides significant backing for its nuclear expansion strategy. The company announced a $1 billion Series B financing and also secured a $200 million credit facility.
However, the $1 billion figure represents company financing, not Project Beehive’s construction cost. Valar has not publicly disclosed a total construction price for the proposed Utah development.
The project’s current schedule calls for non-nuclear construction to begin as soon as late 2026. The first reactors could become operational in 2028, with full development potentially reaching completion by 2032.
If implemented, Project Beehive would represent a major new model for powering data centers directly with dedicated nuclear generation. It would also place advanced nuclear infrastructure alongside computing, fuel and industrial facilities on public and state land.
Project Fact Sheet
Name: Project Beehive
Type: Nuclear-powered data center and advanced energy campus
Location: Near Price, Utah, United States
Federal land: More than 9,000 acres
Federal land manager: Bureau of Land Management
Additional state land: Approximately 650 acres
Planned reactors: Approximately 456 small nuclear reactors
Individual reactor capacity: 25MW electric
Planned combined capacity: Approximately 9.6GW
Main development components: Data centers, nuclear reactors, fuel production and nuclear waste facilities
Industrial applications: Electricity and thermal energy for energy-intensive industries
Construction start: Non-nuclear construction could begin by late 2026
First reactor operations: Targeted for 2028
Full development: Targeted for completion by 2032
Project construction cost: Not publicly disclosed
Company financing: $1 billion Series B
Additional financing: $200 million credit facility
Environmental approval: Federal NEPA review required
Current status: Application under federal review
Project Team
Developer: Valar Atomics
Chief executive officer: Isaiah Taylor
Federal land agency: Bureau of Land Management
State land agency: Utah Trust Lands Administration
Reactor development program: U.S. Department of Energy Reactor Pilot Program
Demonstration reactor: Ward 250
Reactor testing facility: Utah San Rafael Energy Lab
Reactor technology: Valar Atomics advanced high-temperature gas reactor
Fuel technology: TRISO fuel
Reactor moderator: Graphite
Reactor coolant: Helium
Series B lead investor: Sequoia Capital
Federal environmental review: Bureau of Land Management under NEPA
Planned energy users: Data centers and industrial facilities
Proposed development model: Phased, grid-independent nuclear-powered industrial campus
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