Under a plan presented Tuesday to members of the Legislature's Joint Executive Appropriations Committee, the new facility would be built at the Gunnison prison and would open in January 2007, said Scott Carver, acting Corrections executive director.

The plan is aimed at meeting projected increases in the prison population.

"Our population demand is critical right now," Carver said, but as a temporary fix, the department will shuffle inmates among existing facilities, open closed facilities and contract for beds in county jails.

Millard and Beaver counties, for example, already are looking into expanding their facilities, and the state could contract with them for 300 additional beds if the Legislature approves, he said.

"We have seen the demand for secure housing continue to increase over the last 18 months," says a Corrections report given to legislators. "If this continues, we project that the state will be out of prison space by October of this year."

According to Corrections figures provided to lawmakers, Utah State Prison's male population currently exceeds its preferred capacity by about 20 percent. The female population is the prison's fastest-growing group, going from 350 to 450 since July 2002.

Women inmates, currently housed in two of the prison's four Timpanogos units, comprise the department's most pressing need. Under the plan presented Tuesday, men would be moved out of the two other units, providing space for females, and into county jails and now-empty facilities.

Corrections officials have said they are considering building a privatized women's prison. Carver said Tuesday the department has received four bids on such a facility, ranging from $15 million to $45 million.

But the new plan may reduce the current need for such a facility, he said, and officials "would like more time to be able to refine that and gather better figures."

aebroughton@sltrib.com