Having spent decades in the private sector, I’ve learned firsthand the importance of fiscal discipline. Balancing the budget is essential. But as the U.S. Senate considers changes to the current federal budget, it is critical that deficit reduction efforts do not come at the expense of energy innovation and long-term economic competitiveness.
Sen. John Curtis has been a leading voice of reason in this debate. His call for a targeted, thoughtful approach, to use a scalpel, not a sledgehammer, reflects the kind of pragmatic leadership needed to protect Utah’s economy, its energy future and the thousands of jobs supported by clean energy investments. We appreciate and fully support his efforts to preserve these essential incentives.
Clean energy tax incentives have played a pivotal role in attracting billions of dollars in investment to Utah and across the country. These credits have enabled the reshoring of energy-related manufacturing, supported the buildout of resilient infrastructure and created tens of thousands of high-quality jobs. Eliminating or curtailing them would have serious consequences — raising energy costs for families and businesses, weakening our competitive position globally, and undermining the very industries that are driving the next generation of American energy.
Today, Utah’s clean energy sector supports an estimated 47,000 jobs and anchors more than $3 billion in active projects, with an additional $10 billion in the pipeline. These projects span new nuclear, geothermal and battery storage, technologies that are critical to decarbonization and grid reliability. Federal policy must continue to support all low- and zero-carbon energy solutions, including next-generation nuclear power.
Capital-intensive technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs) require policy certainty, streamlined permitting and well-designed incentives. Programs like Governor Cox’s “Operation Gigawatt” demonstrate what’s possible when public and private sectors work together to build a diversified, resilient energy future. But without the continuation of clean energy tax credits, the momentum behind these projects will slow, jeopardizing the progress made on advanced fuels, domestic enrichment and other critical infrastructure.
The consequences extend far beyond industry. Energy demand is rising sharply, driven by artificial intelligence, data centers, manufacturing growth and residential consumption. Independent projections suggest that repealing energy tax credits could increase average residential power costs by 10% across Western states within just four years. Those impacts would hit rural and low-income families the hardest.
We must strike the right balance; one that protects both fiscal health and economic opportunity. Curtis has shown that this is possible, and we stand with him in supporting a forward-looking energy strategy that delivers for Utah families and businesses alike.