Arizona votes to cut county regs on SMRs

Eyes are on the Arizona State House which just passed a bill (HB2456) that would cut the state’s 15 counties out of zoning requirements that might slow down the fast track siting of Small Modular Reactors (SMR). The bill streamlines new reactor development designated for powering new data centers. If adopted, the change waives utility company requirements on SMR development without an “environmental compatibility certificate” (CEC) if the plant is co-located with “an extra high load factor customer” (a.k.a. data centers). The CEC “mandatory” process is supposed to serve as a “single forum” to resolve matters regarding the location of power plants (generally 100 megawatts or more) and transmission lines to balance the need for reliable energy with the desire to minimize impacts (including noise levels and groundwater availability, two big controversies with data centers) and other state’s environmental factors. Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed an earlier fast track version of the legislative bill in 2025 similarly intended to unleash the deployment of small reactors into rural communities by waiving state zoning regulations.