Idaho has formally entered the competition to host a major federal nuclear energy facility, submitting an application on March 31 for the U.S. Department of Energy’s proposed Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus.
Governor Brad Little announced the state’s bid for what officials describe as one of the most significant American energy projects in recent decades. The designation would position Idaho at the center of a national nuclear technology hub capable of handling the complete fuel cycle from enrichment through waste management.
“Nuclear power presents an opportunity for Idaho families to continue receiving affordable, clean energy far into the future, and I support the growth of Idaho’s nuclear industry,” Little said in a statement. “I hope the Department of Energy will recognize Idaho’s historic nuclear leadership and its strong candidacy for this initiative.”
Economic Impact Could Transform Eastern Idaho
State Senator Dave Lent, a Republican from Idaho Falls, said the campus could nearly double the workforce at Idaho National Laboratory, which currently employs between 9,000 and 10,000 people. The expansion would generate additional secondary employment throughout Eastern Idaho.
“I feel strongly this is our game to win,” Lent said. “If we can stand up a strong response back and willingness to step up, this is really a chance for us again to lead—be the national leader in nuclear for the next 50 to 60 years.”
Lent serves on Idaho’s newly formed Advanced Nuclear Energy Task Force, a 20-member group led by Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke and INL Director John Wagner. The task force is coordinating the state’s response to the federal opportunity.
Multi-State Competition for Federal Designation
Idaho faces competition from Utah, Texas, and other states seeking the same federal designation. The Department of Energy issued its Request For Information in January, outlining requirements for what it termed “integrated, full-cycle nuclear ecosystems.”
The federal proposal calls for facilities capable of supporting fuel fabrication, enrichment, reprocessing of used nuclear fuel, and waste disposition. Additional functions could include advanced reactor deployment, power generation, advanced manufacturing, and co-located data centers.
According to the Idaho Office of Energy and Mineral Resources, securing the campus designation would bolster the state’s economy, expand access to reliable baseload power, and establish Idaho as a leader in next-generation nuclear technologies.
INL Already Positioned for Expansion
Lent emphasized that Idaho National Laboratory already operates much of the infrastructure and maintains the programs required for a national nuclear innovation center.
“At the INL, we already do most of this stuff already and have for many years and have developed many of the technologies that are used throughout the world,” he explained.
Lieutenant Governor Bedke and Senator Lent recently completed a two-day tour of Idaho National Laboratory alongside a Trump administration official. The visit included meetings with venture-capitalist investors and briefings from laboratory experts about INL’s current capabilities and expansion potential.
What Comes Next
The Department of Energy will review applications from Idaho and competing states as part of its selection process for the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus. Idaho officials are positioning the state’s decades of nuclear research experience and existing infrastructure as key advantages in the federal competition.
The Idaho Advanced Nuclear Energy Task Force continues coordinating the state’s bid for the federal designation, which would establish Eastern Idaho as the center of American nuclear technology development for generations to come.