Three Republican governors from Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah have signed an agreement to collaborate on energy policy. The states aim to unite their approaches, including renewable energy sources. This collaboration seeks to ensure reliable and affordable energy for their citizens.
The agreement formalizes years of discussions among the states. It calls for aligning energy policies to boost university research and private investment, especially in nuclear power. Utah has partnered with the Idaho National Laboratory for nuclear innovations, and Wyoming will soon have a nuclear plant.
The governors also agreed to enhance power grid resilience. They plan to improve partnerships with the federal government. Coordination of infrastructure projects, such as transmission lines, is also a priority.
This collaboration addresses the increasing demand for energy. Data centers and artificial intelligence computing centers are driving this demand. Interstate energy collaboration is seen as a positive development due to the regional nature of energy grids.
The states also aim to improve workforce development through collaboration. Utah's Governor Spencer Cox believes that the West will lead the next chapter of energy abundance and American prosperity.
This article is based on our author's analysis of materials taken from the following resources: www.wyomingpublicmedia.org.