ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House: AII DPA 4-3-0-0 |Third Read 32-22-5-0-1

HB2456: small modular reactors; zoning; co-location

Sponsor: Representative Wilmeth, LD 2

House Engrossed

Overview

Restricts any county from regulating small modular reactors (SMR) if outlined conditions are met.

History

A county's board of supervisors may adopt a zoning ordinance to conserve and promote the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare. The zoning ordinance must be consistent with the county's comprehensive plan (A.R.S. § 11-811).

SMR are nuclear fission reactors that produce electrical energy output and are smaller in both size and output from more traditional, larger nuclear reactors. SMRs vary in size, technology options, capabilities, deployment scenarios and output. These reactors vary in size from tens of megawatts up to hundreds of megawatts, can be used for power generation, process heat, desalination or other industrial uses. SMR designs may employ light water as a coolant or other non-light water coolants such as a gas, liquid metal or molten salt (DOE).

Provisions

1. Prohibits any county ordinance from preventing, restricting or regulating the use or occupation of land or improvements for the construction and operation of a SMR if:

a. the SMR is colocated with an extra high load factor customer, as defined by the Arizona Corporation Commission, that received proper zoning entitlements; and

b. the owner or operator of the SMR provided public notice and held a public comment session in the county the SMR's location is proposed. (Sec. 1)

2. Defines small modular nuclear reactor to mean a generation III+ or IV nuclear generating unit with a nameplate rating of 300 megawatts or less. (Sec. 1)

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6. Initials TM HB 2456

7. 3/02/2026 Page 0 House Engrossed

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