An historic first happening here in Utah: a nuclear reactor delivered to the state by airplane. The reactor touched down at Hill Air Force Base yesterday and is now heading to an energy lab in Emery County. Once activated, the reactor could power roughly 5,000 homes.
Many have expressed concerns about the small reactors, mostly worried about potential safety issues. In this Deep Dive, Maria Shilaos gets the breakdown of the safety features in these reactors from Kirt Marlow, Senior VP of Energy Development at HiTech Solutions. Lexi Tuddenham, Executive Director of HEAL Utah also joins the show to share more on the concerns her organization has with this focus on nuclear energy.
February 16th, 2026, 10:10 pm
Midday with Maria Shilaos
Deep Dive: Small nuclear reactors making their way to Utah
00:00
10m
Published February 16th, 2026, 10:10 pm
Description
An historic first happening here in Utah: a nuclear reactor delivered to the state by airplane. The reactor touched down at Hill Air Force Base yesterday and is now heading to an energy lab in Emery County. Once activated, the reactor could power roughly 5,000 homes.
Many have expressed concerns about the small reactors, mostly worried about potential safety issues. In this Deep Dive, Maria Shilaos gets the breakdown of the safety features in these reactors from Kirt Marlow, Senior VP of Energy Development at HiTech Solutions. Lexi Tuddenham, Executive Director of HEAL Utah also joins the show to share more on the concerns her organization has with this focus on nuclear energy.
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