Intermountain-West Nuclear Energy Corridor Awarded National EDA Grant to Develop Tech Hub
PRESS RELEASE
October 23, 2023
The Intermountain-West Nuclear Energy Corridor (INEC), has been awarded a $500,000 grant as one of 31 designated Tech Hubs out of over 400 applicants in the U.S. to help the organization prepare an application package for a larger award designed to further the nation’s deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.
The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Tech Hub Strategy Development Grant will enable the Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium (IAEC) to facilitate necessary studies, preliminary work, and collaboration across the Intermountain-West to prepare for the Phase 2 EDA Tech Hub Application process. If successful, the INEC could be one of 10 Tech Hubs chosen out of the designated 31 Tech Hubs who received the initial Development Grant, to be awarded up to $75 million to carry out the mission of the INEC Tech Hub and jump start the nation’s global competitiveness in advanced reactor deployment in the next decade.
INEC is the only nuclear focused Tech Hub to receive the Development Grant and is the only Tech Hub in the Intermountain-West in the Nuclear Energy Industry.
According to EDA, the Tech Hubs Program will invest directly in regions with the assets, resources, capacity, and potential to transform into globally competitive innovation centers in approximately 10 years, while catalyzing the creation of good jobs for American workers at all skill levels, equitably and inclusively.
Both Idaho and Wyoming have a rich history in energy development for the nation, according to Kirt Marlow, Executive Director for the Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium (IAEC).
“With the high concentration of nuclear energy expertise, the Intermountain-West is perfectly poised to kick start the newest generation of advanced nuclear technologies,” said Marlow. “This grant will mobilize the regional components necessary to support such a technology transition and help in solidifying our supply chains, workforce pipelines, community readiness and preparing the nation and the world for our future in clean energy.”
If successful, INEC will support deployment of the newest generation of advanced nuclear technologies.
“If our region can capitalize on all this grant can offer, we will see the results in hundreds, if not thousands of new regional jobs, increased tax bases, population gains, small business support, increased support of minority and disadvantaged communities across the region and so much more,” said Marlow.
The INEC team includes the Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium, supported by the Idaho National Laboratory, University of Wyoming, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, the state of Idaho, the state of Wyoming, and many other partners.
To learn more about IAEC, visit idahoadvancedenergy.org.
Tech Hub geographical boundaries