Our Mission is to Secure America's Energy Future
The Intermountain West Nuclear Energy Corridor (INEC) Tech Hub, 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.
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:
- Strengthening U.S. energy independence by reducing reliance on foreign fuel sources and building a self-sufficient domestic fuel supply.
- Accelerating commercialization timelines by helping private industry partners navigate regulation requirements, engage communities, apply advanced construction and manufacturing techniques, and demonstrate technologies more rapidly.
- Supporting high-quality jobs through expanded and new workforce development training programs in engineering, manufacturing, and skilled trades.
The INEC Tech Hub’s commitment to accelerate nuclear technology commercialization and strengthen America’s economy, security and energy dominance addressing barriers for advanced reactor deployment, the nuclear fuel cycle, skilled workforce, domestic supply chain, and innovation support. Projects addressing 3 of these priorities were awarded funding in fall of 2026. INEC continues to pursue opportunities to address these priorities and to further nuclear technology commercialization and elevate the region through:
- Accelerating Advanced Reactor Deployment: Partnering with Oklo on their Aurora-INL reactor demonstration project to develop a pathway for fuel qualification and improved reactor economics.
- Growing the Nuclear Workforce: Nuclear curriculum expansions focused on construction trades, STEM pathways, engineering programming, and manufacturing/fabrication, in partnership with College of Eastern Idaho, Western Wyoming Community College, Idaho State University, and Gillette College.
- Reinvigorating the Nuclear Supply Chain: Deliver Advanced Construction Technique demonstrations in partnership with Holtec, Hi Tech, and College of Eastern Idaho; and strengthening pathways and support for regional manufacturers to enter the nuclear market in partnerships with state MEP Centers.
- Still Seeking Funding for: Modernizing Fuel Management, addressing domestic nuclear fuel cycle innovation and limitations, and Scaling America's Nuclear Innovation, supporting startup technology maturation and incubation.
Looking Forward (2027)
- Oklo will initiate work on prep, procurement, and fabrication for advanced fuel qualification.
- Hi Tech and Holtec will kick off civil and site preparation for SMR construction mockup scope.
- IAEC will partner with local MEP’s to expand the number of small and medium sized manufacturers and fabricators into NAQ-1 and ISO-9000 certifications.
- College of Eastern Idaho will complete hiring, procurement and curriculum for construction training program and begin planning for the Advanced Construction Technologies demonstration on site.
- Western Wyoming Community College will complete hiring, procurement, and program design for Gen IV welding class.
- Idaho State University will complete hiring, procurement, and curriculum development for Advanced Manufacturing with integrated SMR-skills and enhanced Nuclear Operations Technician training program.
- Gillette College will complete hiring, procurement and curriculum for construction training program and chemical engineering technician training program.
- Battelle Energy Alliance Applied STEM Institute will develop and begin delivery of the Engineering Academy at College of Eastern Idaho.
INEC Tech Hub powered by the Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium
