Idaho named finalist for nuclear lifecycle innovation campus

Idaho has been named one of five finalists to host a new Nuclear Lifecyle Innovation Campus, the U.S. Department of Energy has announced.

The Gem State is joined by Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Louisiana as potential site hosts to help modernize the nation’s nuclear fuel cycle. The specialized campuses aim to attract significant investment, expand domestic manufacturing and create thousands of high-paying jobs, according to a DOE press release.

Gov. Brad Little called it an “honor” for Idaho to be chosen as a finalist.

“For more than 70 years, Idaho has been at the forefront of nuclear innovation, and we are grateful to President Trump, Secretary of Energy [Chris] Wright and the U.S. Department of Energy for recognizing our unmatched expertise and legacy,” Little said.

In a statement provided by Idaho National Laboratory, Director John Wagner called the selection process an “opportunity to strengthen” the nation’s nuclear enterprise for generations to come.

“We’re pleased that Idaho has been selected to advance to the next phase alongside other highly qualified states,” Wagner said. “Idaho has spent decades building the infrastructure, expertise and partnerships that support the full nuclear lifecycle. We look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Energy as it evaluates the strongest path forward.”

The federal agency reported receiving 28 applications from 26 states before narrowing down the list to five finalists. Wright has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with each of the five states being considered for the new campus.

“These campuses will be massive generators of economic growth, create thousands of high-paying jobs and be crucial to unleashing America’s nuclear renaissance,” he said. “The innovative concept is a direct result of President Trump’s leadership and ambitious directives to restore the domestic nuclear fuel cycle and get America’s nuclear industry growing again.”

The proposed campuses are designed to support activities across the full nuclear fuel lifecycle, including fuel fabrication, enrichment and the reprocessing and final disposition of used nuclear fuel. Innovation campuses have the potential to attract up to $50 billion in capital investments, and can generate as much as $10 billion in state and local tax revenue, while creating roughly 25,000 new jobs, the release stated.

“We look forward to working with the DOE to continue advancing every stage of the nuclear lifecycle, strengthening our nation’s energy security, creating good-paying jobs and ensuring Idaho remains the home of America’s nuclear renaissance,” Little said.