Utah officials announced Thursday a proposal to build a uranium processing facility at Camp Williams military base, part of an ambitious push to make the state a national nuclear energy hub and reduce US dependence on foreign uranium sources.
The proposed facility would be operated by Utah Energy, a subsidiary of California-based startup General Matter, on land leased from the Utah National Guard. If approved, it would become just the second uranium enrichment facility in the United States.
“Utah is filling the gap of what exists in the energy chain,” said Joel Ferry, executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
Drew DeWalt, co-founder of Utah Energy, said the facility would initially focus on manufacturing equipment used in uranium enrichment rather than conducting enrichment itself. Revenue would help fund Utah National Guard projects, including aviation facilities and wildfire response capabilities.
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The proposal is part of Governor Spencer Cox’s “Operation Gigawatt,” an initiative to double the state’s energy production within 10 years. Cox has said he envisions “dozens” of small modular nuclear reactors across Utah.
About 25% of enriched uranium used in US nuclear reactors comes from Russia, while 70% of all enriched uranium used domestically in 2023 came from other countries, according to federal data.
“The major risks are not to the public, but to our employees,” DeWalt said, addressing safety concerns. “Inherently, what we do is very safe.”
The facility would be overseen by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. DeWalt stressed the agreement is preliminary: “This isn’t a done deal.”
The announcement comes three weeks after the Trump administration approved Utah’s Velvet-Wood uranium mine under a fast-track 14-day environmental review process, the first project approved under emergency procedures designed to boost domestic energy production.
Utah already has significant uranium infrastructure, including the White Mesa Mill in Blanding, the nation’s last conventional uranium mill, which processes uranium ore into yellowcake.
Critics have raised concerns about the rapid pace of nuclear development. Lexi Tuddenham, executive director of the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah, said officials are “pushing go on a lot of buttons” without adequate public input.
The current uranium supply chain often requires shipping materials to Europe for processing due to limited domestic capacity. The United States has only one operating uranium enrichment facility, located in New Mexico, which is operating at full capacity.
The proposal will be reviewed by the Military Installation Development Authority board and discussed at Legislative Management Committee hearings within two weeks.
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