Emery County holds public hearing on microreactor testing at San Rafael research site; residents split on safety, housing and transparency

Emery County commissioners held a public hearing June 17 in Castle Dale on proposals to test small, transportable nuclear reactors at the San Rafael research site, drawing a crowd that voiced both support and concern.

County and state presenters described the projects as research and testing—not large commercial power reactors—and said the site is being positioned for possible deployment, manufacturing and complementary energy work. Jared Wallace, identified at the meeting as director of the San Rafael Energy Lab, said, “This isn't a large scale reactor. This isn't even a power reactor. This is simply a test to research, to understand, to learn how to build these cheaply, safely, efficiently.” Wallace and other presenters said Valor Atomics and NuCube have discussed testing or manufacturing at the lab and that the facility was sold to the state and is now managed with state involvement.

Why it matters: supporters said the projects could bring jobs, manufacturing and continued energy industry presence to a county long tied to coal and power plants. Opponents pressed for more public information about safety, security, potential health risks, housing impacts and local control.

Support and economic arguments Many speakers with local energy ties said Emery County should pursue the testing work and related manufacturing. Diana Thompson, who identified herself as a Hunter Power…