By Julie Johansen
Emery County Commissioners recently applied for funding from the Community Impact Board to further the construction and ongoing efforts at the San Rafael Energy Research Center. The county was subsequently granted a large Infrastructure grant in the amount of $7 million.
Following a public hearing to change the name of the responsible party from the Seven County Coalition to Emery County, the county also received a loan in the amount of $491,000 at 0.5% interest. This loan will be paid with profits of CRA project areas (solar projects) within the county so that it will not affect the county’s general budget.
The funding will be used for many things at the research center, including but not limited to the installation of a coal pulverizer for coal gasification, carbon fiber and hydrogen fuel research, remodel and new construction of the molten salt/thorium laboratory, and renovation of the front office and bathroom facilities. This funding will greatly increase the economic power of the facility for the county.