Utah groups sue FTC over misleading nuclear power advertising

Three Utah-based groups lodged a formal FTC grievance on Monday, contending that the state’s nuclear promotion campaign misrepresents radiation exposure and waste safety. Billboards along major highways and a supporting website feature slogans such as “Nuclear plants emit less radiation than bananas” and “Nuclear waste storage is safer than your leftovers.” Representatives from Downwinders, Inc., Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah and Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment argued that these claims trivialize ongoing waste-disposal challenges and potential health risks.

The ads are tied to Gov. Spencer Cox’s Operation Gigawatt initiative, which aims to double reliable energy production by 2034 and includes a microreactor in Orangeville and a planned fuel-recycling facility in Tooele County. State officials defended the campaign, emphasizing an “any-of-the-above” energy strategy and pledging to provide fact-based information. Critics, including retired anesthesiologist Brian Moench, called the banana comparison an insult to scientific evidence.