Gov. Cox announces tristate compact to reduce energy costs

Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is announcing a new deal to make energy more affordable in Utah. He shared the news of a tristate energy compact with Utah, Idaho and Wyoming during his monthly news conference Thursday morning.

The governor said with the growing demand for Artificial Intelligence, he wants AI data centers in Utah — like the NOVVA Data Center expanding in West Jordan. But, he said, they can take up a lot of energy.

The governor calls energy production one of the great challenges of our time. He believes this new compact will help meet that demand.

"We need more energy to drive down costs for families, fuel our industry, and keep our country a global economic powerhouse," Cox said.

The governor said Utah needs more energy options and believes Utah's new compact will help keep energy grids reliable and affordable, meet increased demand, and push back on unnecessary regulations. He didn't give many details except that the compact will help Utah invest in new transmission lines, carbon capture technology and infrastructure.

The governor said Utah's Office of Energy Development will lead the collaboration with Idaho and Wyoming. When asked, Cox said this is related to the push to separate Rocky Mountain Power from PacifiCorp, serving electricity for six states, including Utah.

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

UtahSalt Lake CountyEnvironment

Brian Carlson

Brian Carlson is an award-winning Utah journalist, who has spent the last 16 years reporting in his hometown, but his time on television started much earlier than that. Born and raised in Utah, Brian got his first taste for on-air news at 8 years old being interviewed by KSL for knowing how to call 911 during an attempted home break-in. He began appearing regularly on TV in high school for an all-student run show, then graduated from BYU in Broadcast Journalism. His professional TV career started in 2005 at KNDU in Kennewick, Washington. Brian moved back to Utah in 2008 reporting and anchoring for various shows at ABC4, and finally came to KSL in June 2024. In 2012, Brian won a regional Emmy for his report titled “Spice in the City,” in which Brian purchased drugs undercover and was instrumental in assisting police capture an illegal drug dealer. In 2014, Brian was the first TV reporter to tell the story of Ron Stallworth, a young black detective who infiltrated the KKK. Brian’s report became the catalyst to the Oscar award-winning film “BlacKkKlansman” directed by Spike Lee. In Brian’s career, he’s reported on everything from going behind the fire lines documenting the moment an elderly couple discovered they lost all they had in a Utah wildfire, to jumping out of an airplane, or gliding 57 mph down the Olympic skeleton track in Park City. Brian is also the only reporter to become an NBA mascot for a day, working with the former Utah Jazz Bear. Watching KSL5 News you can find Brian each week covering the latest news LIVE on location, including the devastating flooding in Orem, the Honie execution, or from the Utah GOP headquarters LIVE on election night, etc. Brian is happily married to his wife Liz and together they have an adorable son. He’s also stepfather to four children. Brian enjoys weightlifting, water sports, rock climbing, cheering on the BYU Cougars, and loves calling the Beehive State home.