Feature Story America built nuclear power in Idaho first. Now it’s doing it again.

[Marlin]

America built nuclear power in Idaho first. Now it's doing it again.

https://inl.gov/news/america-built-nuclear-power-in-idaho-first-now-its-doing-it-again/

[Core Content]

Idaho National Laboratory recently hosted the successful criticality of three advanced reactors, marking a shift in domestic nuclear development. These milestones occurred under the Department of Energy's Reactor Pilot Program, which streamlined authorization processes for noncommercial demonstrations. The initiative aims to accelerate the deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies across the United States.

This development signals a transition from long-term research to active reactor testing and demonstration. By utilizing existing infrastructure and revised federal oversight, the program reduces the time required for startups to move from design to operational validation. For the industry, this establishes a repeatable framework for testing advanced reactor concepts and verifying performance data before full-scale commercial deployment.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — American researchers and engineers first split the atom for usable electricity in Idaho.

Idaho was the cradle for the first atomic age. Now, decades later, it is again the birthplace of accelerated nuclear innovation that ushers in the next nuclear golden age.

As the nation prepared to mark its 250th birthday in July, four U.S. reactors went critical, reaching the moment a reactor's chain reaction becomes self-sustaining. All four came online under a new U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) authorization program. Three of those reactors were built at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), marking the most consequential stretch of milestones the site has seen in a generation.

Read the full article at inl.gov:
https://inl.gov/news/america-built-nuclear-power-in-idaho-first-now-its-doing-it-again/