July 20, 2026 - Lt. Gov. Bedke comments on $31 million federal award to Idaho, region’s nuclear energy sector

BOISE, Idaho - Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration announced a Tech Hub Implementation award of $31 million for the Intermountain Nuclear Energy Corridor, bringing more than $40 million into the Idaho-Wyoming region with matching funds and investments:

"This is a win for Idaho, and it's a win for American energy dominance.

"The federal government looked at Idaho and saw a state that delivers. This is the result of decades of investment in Idaho National Laboratory, in our universities and community colleges, and in the workforce and infrastructure that makes this state the nation's proving ground for advanced nuclear energy.

"This award means jobs for Idahoans. Hundreds of high-paying jobs right here in our region over the next five years, in engineering, manufacturing, and the skilled trades. It means a stronger, more self-sufficient domestic energy supply chain built with Idaho know-how. And it means every dollar the federal government put in is expected to draw in three or four more dollars of private investment in our communities.

"Idaho didn't wait for the future of energy to arrive. We helped build it. Today's award proves the rest of the country is taking notice. I want to thank all the partners who helped make this happen."

The full announcement from the U.S. Economic Development Administration can be found here.

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