Meanwhile, a research report released Thursday by Utah Foundation, titled "Utah's Energy Use and Resources: Powering Our Standard of Living," examined the state's energy use, energy resources and what Utahns can expect as far as energy prices and supplies in the future.

"The good news is that Utahns generally enjoy large quantities of cheap energy, relative to the rest of the country," said David Newell, a research analyst for the foundation.

"The bad news that is it won't last forever," he wrote in the report. "Utah, which depends heavily on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, will need to start looking into other energy sources that are viable in the long run, such as nuclear and renewable energy, in order to maintain the standard of living Utahns have come to expect."

Abel said that nuclear power must be part of the future energy equation if the nation is going to meet its goal of generating carbon-free energy. He said he believed the energy industry would eventually be able to address safety concerns of nuclear power and provide it in a cost-effective manner.

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