SANTA FE, N.M. — On Tuesday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox declared that his priority as chairman of the Western Governors Association would be to advocate for changes in federal rules hindering energy production.
The "Energy Superabundance" initiative, spanning over twelve months, aims to harness the impact of the nonpartisan gubernatorial group. This effort seeks to examine new technologies, create policy suggestions, and advocate for changes with congresspeople to address the significant strain AI could place on electrical grids.
“Our new focus on energy is bold — and urgently needed,” Cox said. “It’s been nearly 50 years since we’ve had this kind of moment: rising demand, available capital, and the political will to build. And that’s exactly what we intend to do.”
At the 2025 Western Governors Association conference held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Cox delivered the concluding keynote address. There, he met with governors from Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Wyoming to engage in discussions. immigration reform , public land management and energy production .
On Tuesday, Cox succeeded New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, taking over as the former WGA chair whose emphasis was on expanding access to affordable housing.
Cox currently has a bigger stage to advocate for an issue that is already among his highest priorities as governor.
States working together
In the last year, Cox has expanded his "Operation Gigawatt" initiative aimed at doubling Utah's energy output within ten years. This focus led to partnerships with Idaho and Wyoming regarding nuclear power prospects, creation of a nuclear energy consortium to simplify regulations, and an $8 million commitment towards identifying locations for reactor installations.
This has been characterized as the most significant effort yet towards advancing nuclear energy capabilities within the nation. However, the governor’s WGA initiative implies that individual states can achieve only limited progress due to the inefficient federal permitting procedures they eventually encounter.
Cox informed the Deseret News of his intention to utilize his role at the WGA to galvanize various states into sending a clear signal to Washington, D.C., emphasizing that America requires increased energy production urgently.
It’s the strength derived from states collaborating at a regional level that truly fascinates me… and helps us move away from the harmful polarization we’ve been witnessing," Cox stated. "With blue-state governors focusing on their delegations and red-state governors doing the same, we might finally achieve progress on issues that have remained unresolved for quite some time.
Cox has frequently blamed the federal government for impeding states' capacity to advance futuristic energy solutions—such as nuclear reactors, geothermal facilities, and various renewable energies—due to protracted permit processes, obsolete infrastructure, and excessive regulation.
The distinctive part played by the West in the realm of energy
The emphasis at the two-day conference was on how the West, according to Cox mentioned on Tuesday, "can guide both the United States and the globe towards something incredibly crucial at this moment; I believe it is essential."
This sentiment was echoed by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who emphasized the Western region’s innovative spirit and abundant natural resources. Additionally, EPA Secretary Lee Zeldin stated that Cox’s plan resonates with the Trump administration’s view that achieving energy supremacy doesn’t necessarily compromise environmental protection.
“We don’t think we have to pick one over the other,” Zeldin responded when asked by the Deseret News.
Following Cox's private briefing of his proposal to policymakers and industry leaders, South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden stated that he could not conceive of a more suitable plan for Western states to rally behind collectively.
Rhoden mentioned that everyone present felt a collective sense of urgency, regardless of their affiliation with fossil fuels, renewable energy, or the public sector, emphasizing that the impending energy crisis calls for collaborative efforts from all stakeholders.
"I believe this presents an ideal situation for establishing a collaboration between public entities and private companies concerning energy consumers and providers, which could help overcome some of the partisan politics. Once that happens, national policies should align accordingly," Rhoden stated to the Deseret News.
America’s energy future
The transformations heading toward America’s power grid are indeed without precedent. For the first time in many years, the U.S. is poised to see a significant surge in "energy demand," with yearly energy consumption expected to rise substantially. over 50% before 2035 .
Motivated by the development of power-hungry AI data centers, along with advancements in manufacturing and the rise of electric vehicles, this evolving energy landscape has prompted significant changes in national conversations around energy issues, according to Matthew Mailloux, a policy specialist at ClearPath—a conservative group focused on promoting clean energy solutions.
This holds particularly true for governors who have a direct motivation to expedite initiatives to bolster their states, as Mailloux pointed out. However, achieving this will necessitate a comprehensive strategy that depends on fresh advancements in energy across various branches of government.
According to Mailloux, one frequent obstacle faced by individuals trying to develop new energy sources is the issue of a sluggish and ineffective federal bureaucracy. This system hinders progress through prolonged regulatory processes such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), alongside incessant legal disputes.
According to Mailloux, the issue at hand is how America can enhance environmental results while ensuring rapidity and predictability for project implementations. He suggests that initiatives such as Cox’s "Energy Superabundance" will be instrumental in uncovering these solutions.
I believe Governor Cox and this proposal could develop an appropriate set of choices for states, Congress, and the administration to realize the abundant and energy-dominant future we often discuss," Mailloux stated. "There needs to be increased power within our electrical grids, which is precisely why these discussions are taking place.
The next phase for Cox’s plan involves convening a gathering in September with Western state governors at the Idaho National Laboratory, which serves as the country’s leading facility for nuclear energy research under the administration of the U.S. Department of Energy.