Valor Atomics shows Utah pilot site to West Virginia legislators; says company is one of 11 DOE pilot projects
January 12, 2026 | 2026 Legislature WV, West Virginia
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Jess Housekeeper, representing Valor Atomics, joined the committee by Teams and described the Utah site where the company is building and testing a small modular reactor and fuel‑processing facilities. Housekeeper said Valor is part of the Department of Energy’s reactor pilot program and the pilot fuel program and that the DOE assigns a liaison to streamline paperwork (not to waive safety steps).
He described Valor’s approach to vertical integration — colocating reactor fabrication, fuel processing and supporting tank farms — and called the site a potential "giga site" for multiple reactors and associated manufacturing. Housekeeper attributed Utah’s selection to state and local readiness, including a lease on property at the Utah Center for Energy Lab and local leadership that moved approvals quickly.
Housekeeper said the site had moved large volumes of earth and concrete, described an expected February building completion and a planned reactor shipment, and said Valor’s objective is rapid, capital‑efficient demonstration and scaling. He reiterated that pilot participants still must complete standard safety analyses and reviews, and that the pilot program assigns a DOE representative to help coordinate processes and accelerate timelines.
Committee members asked why Utah was selected and whether the project had to coordinate with federal authorities. Housekeeper said the state lease, local county support and 'moving at the speed' needed for project setup were decisive; he said Valor works closely with the Department of Energy on safety analyses and reporting. Valor’s representative used the phrase "make nuclear great again" to characterize the company’s objective to accelerate nuclear deployment.
The presentation gave legislators a near‑term example of a small modular reactor build and a model of industry expectations for state cooperation and speed in permitting and incentives; lawmakers asked for more detail on any incentive or PR programs the state might pair with nuclear recruitment.
He described Valor’s approach to vertical integration — colocating reactor fabrication, fuel processing and supporting tank farms — and called the site a potential "giga site" for multiple reactors and associated manufacturing. Housekeeper attributed Utah’s selection to state and local readiness, including a lease on property at the Utah Center for Energy Lab and local leadership that moved approvals quickly.
Housekeeper said the site had moved large volumes of earth and concrete, described an expected February building completion and a planned reactor shipment, and said Valor’s objective is rapid, capital‑efficient demonstration and scaling. He reiterated that pilot participants still must complete standard safety analyses and reviews, and that the pilot program assigns a DOE representative to help coordinate processes and accelerate timelines.
Committee members asked why Utah was selected and whether the project had to coordinate with federal authorities. Housekeeper said the state lease, local county support and 'moving at the speed' needed for project setup were decisive; he said Valor works closely with the Department of Energy on safety analyses and reporting. Valor’s representative used the phrase "make nuclear great again" to characterize the company’s objective to accelerate nuclear deployment.
The presentation gave legislators a near‑term example of a small modular reactor build and a model of industry expectations for state cooperation and speed in permitting and incentives; lawmakers asked for more detail on any incentive or PR programs the state might pair with nuclear recruitment.
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