Idaho
Impacts
National lab research, home state advantage
Idaho is one of the fastest growing states in the nation, routinely showing up in Top 10 lists next to Utah and Nevada. More people, including the people who come to work at Idaho National Laboratory, are learning what makes Idaho special — its ski slopes, trout fishing, wilderness trails and quality of life. Our work with state and local government and economic development organizations reflects our determination to protect and preserve what we all treasure about living here.
Accomplishments and data are from fiscal year 2025.
Strengthening communities with the United Way
The Idaho National Laboratory and its employees continued their strong support for the United Way and its partner agencies in 2024 with a contribution of $575,750. INL is one of the largest contributors to the United Way in Idaho, supporting three service regions. This reflects both the size of the INL desert site, which covers 890 square miles, and the 6,100 employees living across nine eastern Idaho counties. The United Way brings together people and resources to address immediate needs and foster long-term solutions for health, education and financial stability, improving community well-being.
Firefighters learn from INL experts about electric vehicle batteries, safety
There’s a good reason why electric vehicles in salvage yards are stored separately and spaced far apart. Their lithium-ion batteries can retain significant amounts of energy even after the vehicle is no longer operational. If one of these batteries catches fire, it can be extremely difficult to extinguish, often requiring specialized firefighting techniques. To help first responders better understand and manage these risks, INL hosted an EV battery safety workshop. Firefighters from four eastern Idaho fire departments attended the training, which focused on the unique hazards of lithium-ion batteries and best practices for safely responding to EV-related incidents.
DOE, Idaho agree to targeted waiver to advance nuclear research
The state of Idaho and the Department of Energy signed a targeted waiver of the 1995 Idaho Settlement Agreement. The agreement established milestones to remove legacy waste at DOE’s INL Site while allowing nuclear energy research and development at the lab. The waiver allows critical research on a high burnup nuclear fuel cask from a commercial nuclear power plant, providing data to support extended storage of spent fuel at 54 nuclear power plants in 28 states. The waiver also permits INL to safely manage small amounts of spent nuclear fuel from domestic university reactors.
Recovering critical materials with e-cycling events
INL and E Cyclers of Idaho hosted electronic waste collection events at the Idaho Falls Public Library, providing residents with an opportunity to rid themselves of non-working and unused electronics. Recycling and reusing e-waste aligns with INL’s research goals to repurpose critical materials, which can be found in most e-waste, for energy and national security uses. Most electronic waste, especially batteries, contains valuable materials such as gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper and aluminum.
Lab, foundation partner to expand INL’s scope
INL partnered with the newly established INL Foundation with the goal of complementing the lab’s mission through enhanced community connections that can only be leveraged through an independent nonprofit. The foundation, which operates separately from INL, simplifies ways to donate to INL programs, encourages careers in science and technology, supports energy and national security research, and fosters commercialization of INL innovations through regional entrepreneurship. Funding through the foundation will help the lab support programs such as nuclear energy research, agricultural biomass conversion to energy, and cybersecurity technologies.
INL, ISU dedicate building for critical materials research
An evolving partnership between Idaho State University and INL is advancing the nation’s supply of critical materials essential to technologies like nuclear fuels. On Aug. 26, INL and U.S Department of Energy officials joined ISU President Robert Wagner to dedicate the new Critical Materials and Energy Systems Innovation Center in Idaho Falls. Formerly known as the Center for Advanced Energy Studies, the center strengthens collaboration among Idaho’s university students, faculty and INL researchers. Building on over a decade of success, the partnership accelerates innovation in critical and strategic materials through impactful research and development.
INL, Idaho State University broaden collaborative research initiatives
INL and Idaho State University signed an agreement to deepen collaborative research and development projects that will advance solutions to the nation’s energy and security challenges. The newly signed Strategic Understanding for Premier Education and Research, or SUPER agreement, expands cooperation between ISU students, faculty and laboratory researchers in two key areas: critical and strategic materials and minerals, and environmental sustainability and security.INL and Idaho State University signed an agreement to deepen collaborative research and development projects that will advance solutions to the nation’s energy and security challenges. The newly signed Strategic Understanding for Premier Education and Research, or SUPER agreement, expands cooperation between ISU students, faculty and laboratory researchers in two key areas: critical and strategic materials and minerals, and environmental sustainability and security.
INL signs agreements with Boise State University, University of Idaho to strengthen collaborative research initiatives
INL signed agreements with Boise State University and University of Idaho to deepen collaborative research and development projects that will advance solutions to the nation’s energy and security challenges ensuring energy dominance and economic prosperity. The new Strategic Understanding for Premier Education and Research (SUPER) agreements will foster collaboration among students, faculty, and INL researchers. They establish a framework to pursue innovations in advanced energy and cybersecurity for protecting critical infrastructure.
Gov. Little establishes the Idaho Advanced Nuclear Energy Task Force
Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a new executive order at INL, launching the Idaho Advanced Nuclear Energy Task Force. This task force will assess, recommend and support strategies that advance Idaho’s leadership in nuclear energy innovation, workforce development and more.
Energy Department requests proposals for AI data centers, energy projects at INL
The U.S. Department of Energy requested proposals from U.S. companies to build and power AI data centers at INL. These data centers will help ensure the U.S. leads in AI by attracting private sector funding, expanding AI computing capabilities, and scaling emerging power sources to meet future energy demands. INL is one of four sites identified for AI infrastructure and generation projects on federal land. Applicants will be responsible for building, operating, and decommissioning each infrastructure project and must secure utility interconnection agreements for new power generation and storage systems.
Western Governors’ Association meets at INL to discuss nuclear energy abundance in the West
INL hosted the fall Western Governors’ Association workshop in Idaho Falls, which focused on unlocking prosperity and nuclear energy abundance in the West. Idaho Gov. Brad Little and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, in partnership with feature policymakers and experts from the western U.S. region, participated in discussions examining regulatory and permitting challenges, investment needs and policy frameworks, as well as supply chain challenges and nuclear fuel cycle constraints. The West has a long history of nuclear energy leadership, from early reactor demonstrations to today’s advanced technologies, and INL is at the center of this ongoing innovation.
New tool helps guide hydropower development
To help hydropower operators and developers make informed decisions, INL, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office, developed the Hydropower Technology Catalog. The online tool helps operators select the best technologies in the initial phases of developing or upgrading hydroelectric power systems, displaying turbine technologies in a format understandable for anyone from novices to professionals. The catalog features more than 100 turbine technologies, complete with descriptions, applications, performance metrics, costs and potential benefits, where available. To develop the catalog, INL researchers reviewed equipment manufacturer websites, interviewed technology providers, and synthesized published papers and reports.
Boosting hydropower value with hydrogen production
Hydropower is a reliable source of energy, but inconsistent waterflows and intermittent demand often challenge decision makers when it comes to budgeting and operations. INL and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory partnered with Idaho Power, which operates 17 hydroelectric projects, to analyze the economic and environmental impacts that could come from integrating hydrogen production with hydropower plants. Hydrogen production potentially increases revenue during low energy demand, and the oxygen byproduct can improve water quality. By producing hydrogen, Idaho Power could improve power production and open new sources of revenue.
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