Idaho competing for new Nuclear Innovation Campus; could double size of Idaho National Laboratory workforce

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – One of the most impactful U.S. energy initiatives in decades, a federal proposal to construct a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus, received an application from Idaho on March 31.

“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,” Governor Little said. “I hope the Department of Energy will recognize Idaho’s historic nuclear leadership and its strong candidacy for this initiative.”

Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke and state Senator Dave Lent, (R)-Idaho Falls, and a Trump administration official have spent the last two days touring Idaho National Laboratory, meeting with venture-capitalist investors and hearing from experts about the laboratory’s capabilities.

“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.”

You can watch our full interview on the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus with state Senator Dave Lent below.

Lent is one of two Idaho legislators serving on the newly-created Idaho Advanced Nuclear Energy Task Force.

The 20-person task force is led by Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke and Idaho National Laboratory Director John Wagner.

The Department of Energy solicited Requests For Information (RFIs) for the Nuclear Innovation Campus in January.

“Securing this designation would bolster Idaho’s economy, expand access to reliable baseload power, and position the state at the forefront of next-generation nuclear technologies,” according to a release from the Idaho Office of Energy and Mineral Resources.

The state faces competition from Utah, Texas, and other states vying for the same designation, Lent said.

The DOE’s original proposal asks for states interested in hosting “integrated, full‑cycle nuclear ecosystems that could colocate and support the entire nuclear value chain while exploring durable pathways for managing used nuclear materials in a safe, secure, and fiscally responsible manner.”

“These campuses must support functions such as fuel fabrication, enrichment, reprocessing used nuclear fuel, and disposition of waste, and could additionally support functions such as advanced reactor deployment, power generation, advanced manufacturing, and co‑located data centers,” the request continues.

The Idaho National Laboratory already features much of the infrastructure and programs required to implement a national Nuclear Innovation Campus, Lent explained.

“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 said.

Currently, Idaho National Laboratory employs 9,000 to 10,000 individuals, he said, in addition to the secondary work its activities generate throughout the region and state.

“There's a potential there to come close to doubling that workforce – if some of this work were to come through as it's being described by the Department of Energy,” Lent said.

Eastern Idaho is uniquely situated to launch the next renaissance in advanced nuclear technology.

“Idaho is prepared to continue our tradition of nuclear excellence and build on the foundation that has already made our state great,” Little said.