Preparations underway for future energy generation with proposed code amendments
Eagle Mountain City is preparing to embrace the future of energy generation with proposed amendments to its zoning code and inclusion in its RTI overlay zone.
These updates aim to simplify the approval process for emerging technologies, enhance safety protocols and position the City to meet growing energy demands.
“Although no generation projects have been proposed at this time, these code changes are a big step toward attracting innovative generation technologies,” says City Communications Manager Tyler Maffitt.
The current city code presents obstacles for certain technology advancements, prompting the City to explore amendments that would also accommodate other innovative energy sources, including natural gas and small modular nuclear reactors.
These reactors, distinct and substantially safer from full-scale nuclear power plants, could potentially offer a cleaner and more manageable energy solution in the future. Natural gas and nuclear technologies have evolved considerably over the past couple of decades.
For example, fuel-cell based natural gas facilities produce nearly zero emissions, and have large volumes of water as a byproduct that could potentially be captured. Small Modular Nuclear Reactors come in various forms such as ceramic and molten salt, which use small amounts of water compared to traditional nuclear reactors.
“There’s nothing anticipated that would ruin everyone’s views of the mountains,” says Maffitt. “To be reassuring, the City is not anticipating any projects related to small modular nuclear at this time, but it is important for the City to be prepared to accommodate advancements in technology while keeping our environment and residents safe.”
In addition to improving the integration of advanced technologies, the proposed amendments will impact the City’s Regional, Technology, and Industry (RTI) Overlay Zone. By streamlining approval processes, the changes will ensure projects in this area can proceed efficiently while maintaining high safety and environmental standards.
Eagle Mountain’s efforts reflect a broader need to diversify and increase local energy generation. Rocky Mountain Power has repeatedly indicated that expanding its generation capacity is unlikely in the near term.
With continued development of datacenter projects in Eagle Mountain, and energy generation to complement them, hundreds of millions of dollars in investment will be spent toward new transmission lines from different parts of the valley, along with the creation of additional substations.
It’s not yet clear, according to the City’s Economic Development department, how much generation will support the growth of residential and commercial in the City, but the expanded and upgraded infrastructure is anticipated to help to create a very robust local energy grid.
The City’s proactive approach aligns with Utah’s statewide Operation Gigawatt initiative, which emphasizes efficient and sustainable energy production.
Any future potential project involving advanced energy technologies will undergo rigorous vetting by Eagle Mountain City to ensure environmental safety and community well-being. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality – Air Quality division, also places strong restrictions on air pollutants and places statewide caps that will require any energy generation project to be extremely clean if they want to produce enough power to supply datacenters.
“The City has a priority to put the needs of its residents first,” says Maffitt. “Although these code changes certainly allow for future projects, our residents can rest assured that the City has been working with industry experts to ensure community well-being is front and center.”
City officials have highlighted the potential benefits of adopting clean energy technologies, including the creation of high-paying jobs and positioning Eagle Mountain as a leader in advanced energy production.
These technologies, such as small modular nuclear reactors and natural gas systems, offer the promise of cleaner energy generation without the negative visual impact of traditional energy infrastructure. These systems already exist in the state of Utah. For instance, Brigham Young University hosts a natural gas plant in one of its buildings. Further, the University of Utah has a nuclear reactor located on campus.
“Eagle Mountain City loves the outdoors and has put forward enormous effort to keep its residents, wildlife and outdoors safe. This will be no different,” says Maffitt.
While datacenters in the area may benefit from increased energy generation, the City is also committed to ensuring that new infrastructure could support broader community energy needs.
Enhanced power generation capabilities will strengthen the local grid and provide added redundancy, contributing to long-term energy resilience.
Note 12/12/24: This article has been updated to include increased context and to provide additional research support to several of the paragraphs**