Before I was a legislator, I was, and still am, an Idaho mom. Like many parents, I want my children to have the opportunity to receive a good education, find meaningful work and, if they choose, build their lives here in Idaho.
That is one reason I believe the conversation surrounding the proposed Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus should include education.
America’s demand for reliable electricity is growing rapidly. Data centers, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing are increasing that demand, and advanced nuclear energy could play an important role in meeting it.
The Department of Energy recently selected Idaho as one of five states to explore hosting an NLIC. These campuses could include fuel fabrication, enrichment, used-fuel recycling and reprocessing, advanced reactors, power generation, and advanced manufacturing. DOE estimates a campus could attract up to $50 billion in private investment and create nearly 25,000 jobs.
Those numbers should get the attention of everyone involved in Idaho education.
If Idaho pursues this opportunity, we should also ask: How do we make sure Idaho students are prepared to fill those jobs?
Not every career in nuclear energy requires a degree in nuclear engineering. An expanding industry needs engineers and scientists, but it also needs electricians, welders, technicians, mechanics, construction workers, cybersecurity professionals, project managers, and many other skilled employees.
We already have pieces of that pipeline throughout Idaho.
INL partners with Idaho universities, supports STEM education and internships, and helped establish Idaho State University’s Energy Systems Technology and Education Center. The Center for Advanced Energy Studies brings together INL, Idaho State University, University of Idaho, and Boise State University. College of Eastern Idaho also has partnerships creating pathways into energy careers.
We should build on those efforts.
That means exposing students to STEM and skilled-trade careers earlier, strengthening CTE and apprenticeship opportunities, and ensuring our community colleges and universities are aligned with the workforce Idaho will need. It also means helping students understand nuclear energy based on science and facts so they can make informed decisions about whether these careers are right for them.
INL already projects more than 2,800 hires through fiscal year 2029, even before considering what an NLIC could add.
For more than 70 years, Idaho has helped pioneer American nuclear technology. Our experience has taught us about innovation, but also about environmental stewardship, safeguards, and accountability. Those lessons are an asset as we consider what comes next.
I want Idaho students to be able to graduate from an Idaho high school, learn a trade or earn a degree here, and then find a good-paying career without having to leave our state.
Economic development and education policy cannot operate in separate lanes. If Idaho wants to lead the next generation of nuclear energy, we should prepare the next generation of Idahoans to lead it.
That may be one of the greatest opportunities NLIC offers our state.
Rep. Erin Bingham represents District 32B in the Idaho House of Representatives, serving Bonneville County. She serves on the House State Affairs, Commerce & Human Resources, and Environment, Energy & Technology committees.
