Arizona House Passes Nuclear Reactor Bill After Rejecting Similar Measure

The new bill has nearly identical language to the one that was voted down hours earlier.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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The Arizona House of Representatives initially rejected a bill that would prohibit counties from regulating small nuclear reactors co-located with data centers. However, just hours later, the House passed a nearly identical bill sponsored by a different Republican lawmaker.

Why it matters

The push for small modular nuclear reactors to power the growing data center industry has faced pushback in Arizona, with concerns raised about the technology's benefits and the lack of regulatory oversight. This back-and-forth on legislation highlights the ongoing debate around the role of nuclear power in the state's energy future.

The details

The initial bill, House Bill 2456, was voted down 22-32, with some Republican members opposing the language that would limit county oversight. But later that night, a nearly identical bill, House Bill 2795, was introduced and passed along party lines. Several Republicans who had opposed the first bill ended up supporting the second one. The key difference is that Carbone's bill requires data centers to apply for federal permits to build on-site nuclear reactors.

  • The initial House Bill 2456 was voted down early in the evening on February 26, 2026.
  • Just hours later, the nearly identical House Bill 2795 was introduced and passed.

The players

Rep. Justin Wilmeth

The Republican lawmaker who introduced the initial bill, House Bill 2456, that was voted down.

Rep. Michael Carbone

The Republican lawmaker who introduced the second bill, House Bill 2795, that passed with nearly identical language.

Gov. Katie Hobbs

The Arizona governor who vetoed a similar bill last year that would have allowed the small nuclear reactors without regulatory oversight.

Rep. Alexander Kolodin

A Republican representative who voted against the initial bill, House Bill 2456, but then supported the second bill, House Bill 2795.

Union of Concerned Scientists

A group that has raised concerns about the benefits and claims made around small modular nuclear reactors.

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What’s next

The governor will likely need to decide whether to sign or veto the new nuclear reactor bill passed by the House.

The takeaway

The back-and-forth on nuclear reactor legislation in Arizona highlights the ongoing debate around the role of this technology in powering the state's growing data center industry, with concerns about regulatory oversight and the benefits of small modular reactors.