Our Mission is to Secure America's Energy Future
INEC, a strategic initiative of the Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium, provides the framework for its regional member-partners to advance future technologies and manufacturing in the United States, ensuring that our nation’s economic and national security interests are met.
The Intermountain West Nuclear Energy Corridor (INEC) Tech Hub is the nation’s only nuclear technology hub. Designated by the U.S. Economic Development Agency (EDA) in 2023, INEC harnesses the strengths of more than 45 member-partners across Idaho and Wyoming to accelerate regional growth and increase our nation’s global competitiveness in advanced energy and manufacturing technologies. Idaho and Wyoming are at the epicenter of America’s advanced energy transition, which will continue to have significant economic benefits to the region, ensuring jobs start, grow and remain in the United States.
With our partners, we are:
- Accelerating the deployment of advanced reactors, including small modular and microreactors.
- Advancing technologies to modernize used nuclear fuel management processes and solidifying a domestic uranium supply.
- Empowering the American workforce through development programs that support the nations’ investment in energy, defense and security initiatives.
- Reinvigorating the nuclear supply chain by incentivizing manufacturers and supplier partners to expand product offerings to meet current and future nuclear industry needs.
- Enhancing existing partnerships and supporting entrepreneurship that drives nuclear innovation.
The five component projects make up the INEC Tech Hub submission were each submitted to accelerate nuclear technology commercialization, furthering the nuclear industry and elevating the region:
- Accelerating Advanced Reactor Deployment aims to qualify advanced fuels, improve reactor economics, and foster local nuclear workforce development resulting in U.S. energy dominance and affordability.
- Modernizing Fuel Management addresses nuclear fuel cycle constraints, establishes a domestic HALEU supply, accelerates uranium recovery, and prepares communities for nuclear site licensing.
- Growing the Nuclear Workforce includes the College of Eastern Idaho, Idaho State University, Western Wyoming Community College, and Gillette College. Each institution will focus on developing trades, manufacturing/fabrication and STEM Pathways curriculum to create a comprehensive scalable workforce development plan and reduce barriers for programs and employers.
- Reinvigorating the Nuclear Supply Chain focuses on demonstrating advanced construction techniques and supporting regional manufacturers to enter the nuclear market.
- Scaling America's Nuclear Innovation integrates national laboratory validation and business acceleration with the INEC Innovation Incubator (I³). The project supports up to 30 startups with funding, mentorship, and market acceleration services for technologies in digital systems, sensors, cybersecurity, thermal management, and advanced materials.
INEC Tech Hub powered by the Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium
