Operation Gigawatt Meets a Shrinking Colorado River

Utah is racing to double its power supply just as the Colorado River heads into its deepest delivery cuts yet. Gov. Spencer Cox launched Operation Gigawatt in October 2024. Its goal is to double the state's electricity production within 10 years, with a heavy bet on nuclear and geothermal power. Much of the new demand comes from data centers. Utah had 48 operating data centers drawing 920 megawatts as of April. Another 2,600 megawatts were under construction, according to the Deseret News.

Several of the largest proposals sit inside the Colorado River basin. In May, a new joint venture revived the long-stalled Blue Castle nuclear site near Green River in Emery County. The plan calls for two to four Holtec SMR-300 reactors producing 600 to 1,200 megawatts, according to the American Nuclear Society. Holtec says the reactors can be air-cooled, which cuts water use in a dry climate. The site still holds water rights that Utah granted in 2012 and that the courts upheld in 2016. In October, NPR reported that Valar Atomics had proposed Project Beehive on more than 9,000 acres of federal land near Price. The filing describes data centers powered by about 456 small reactors. Neither project has a federal license yet. No company has put a small modular reactor into commercial service anywhere in the country.

Supporters and critics read the same plans very differently. State leaders call nuclear power the reliable baseload Utah needs for new industry and jobs. HEAL Utah sued over the earlier Green River plan. The group says it is still concerned about water use, the Colorado River ecosystem and radioactive waste. Most of Utah's data centers sit along the Wasatch Front, which the World Resources Institute rates as high in baseline water stress. Our look at the AI data centers environmental impact breaks down how much water and power these campuses draw nationwide.

The river is already short. Long-term drought has left the Colorado River system at roughly 36 percent of capacity, according to the Bureau of Reclamation. In August, the Interior Department finalized operating rules that cut Lower Basin deliveries by 1.25 million acre-feet in both 2027 and 2028. Under the states' proposed split, Arizona would give up 760,000 acre-feet a year and California 440,000. Nevada and Arizona have both sued over the cuts, Cowboy State Daily reports. Recent storms did little to refill Lake Powell, KUNC reported on November 8. The cuts remain on track to begin in January.

For a family in the Southwest, a shrinking river and a growing grid meet at the same tap and the same meter. In past shortages, farms took the first cuts. Cities can follow with watering limits and higher rates when shortages deepen. Start by learning whether your utility draws on the Colorado River. Most water providers name their sources in an annual water quality report. A household reserve built with basic water storage gives you room to adjust if restrictions tighten. The habits that support drought preparedness cut daily use without real hardship. New industrial loads also raise the stakes for power grid strain during summer peaks, so plan your backup power with that in mind.

Where it stands now: Lower Basin cuts begin in January. Both reactor projects remain years from producing power. The lawsuits over the cuts are still in court. The figures above are as of November 9 and are expected to change as licensing and litigation move forward. This week, find your water utility's source report and count how many days of stored water you have on hand. Be Prepared Not Scared!