Valar Atomics, a US nuclear energy startup, is advancing its Raceway Energy Campus project near Wellington, Carbon County, Utah. According to a permit application disclosed by the Salt Lake Tribune on November 12, 2026, the company plans to build 40 to 120 small nuclear reactors on approximately 640 acres of state trust land, along with nuclear fuel manufacturing, laboratories, and an AI data center. Initially, a natural gas power plant will be constructed to power the manufacturing facilities, laboratories, and data center. Once the nuclear reactors are operational, the natural gas power plant can also serve as a backup power source or meet peak demand. The Carbon County Planning Commission has included the project on the agenda of a special meeting on November 12 to review the conditional use permit application. This means the project is moving from land planning to local permit review, and several approval procedures remain before the actual construction and operation of the nuclear power facility can commence.
