SALT LAKE CITY " A state lawmaker who wants to build a nuclear-power plant in Utah is proposing to use the Green River as a critical source of cooling water, a newspaper reported Thursday.
A contract to secure the rights to nearly 10 billion gallons of water a year identified the river, The Salt Lake Tribune said in a copyright story.
"We still don't know basically where the thing is going to go," said Rep. Aaron Tilton, R-Springville.
He is trying to develop a power plant as chief executive of Transition Power Development LLC. It would have two units.
"One unit doesn't give you the scale of economy to give the best competitive advantages," Tilton said.
Transition Power wants to find a site, acquire property rights and conduct studies necessary to get preliminary approvals from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said Reed Searle, a partner in the company.
Green River Mayor Ed Bentley said he'd welcome a power plant in his community, which is on the Grand County-Emery County line, 70 miles west of Colorado.
"Anything that would provide good-paying jobs would be excellent for our community," he said.
Transition Power has a contract with the Kane County Water Conservancy District. It still would need approval from the Utah Division of Water Rights.
"When they actually want to do something, then they'll bring an application to our office," state engineer Jerry Olds said.
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com