Idaho Legislators joined the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) exhibitors in the Capitol rotunda to celebrate INL’s upcoming 70th anniversary of nuclear energy research and innovation in Idaho. In 1949, the Atomic Energy Commission chose the eastern Snake River Plain as its location for the National Reactor Testing Station (NRTS) with the mission of understanding how to harness the power of the atom for peaceful purposes.

In 2017, President Trump signed a bill to authorize the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act, a program enabling the testing and demonstration of reactor concepts to be proposed and funded by the private sector. The goal of the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) is to increase practical knowledge relevant to safety, security, resilience, and functionality of advanced nuclear reactor concepts. INL has strong ties to Idaho universities and works collaboratively with Idaho State University, Boise State University, and University of Idaho. Under the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), these collaborative efforts emphasize research, education, and innovation.

Today, the INL plays an important part in Idaho’s economy and promotes Idaho as a leader in advanced technology research and product development.