The U.S. Department of Energy last week announced that it is seeking proposals to build artificial intelligence data centers on Idaho National Laboratory land east of Arco and power the facilities with “emerging power sources” like advanced nuclear reactors or geothermal energy.
The DOE’s Sept. 8 announcement followed an April request for information that drew widespread interest from data center developers, including OpenAI, the Express previously reported.
In late July, the DOE named the INL—an 890-square-mile site about 18 miles east of Arco—as one of four finalists for a large AI infrastructure project in the U.S. The agency said that it hoped to break ground by the end of 2025 and start operations in late 2027. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright billed the initiative as the “next Manhattan Project” at the time.
Rep. Mike Simpson
Courtesy photo
The DOE is now soliciting formal requests from U.S. companies to “enter into one or more long-term leasing agreements at [INL]” and build AI data centers on the land without relying on federal subsidies, according to the Sept. 8 press release.
The DOE said it will “prioritize applications that integrate innovative energy generation and storage projects … which could include advanced nuclear reactors, enhanced geothermal systems, and cold underground thermal energy storage.”
Companies must also demonstrate solid cooling and power technologies and prove commercial viability.
“Applicants will be responsible for building, operating, and decommissioning each infrastructure project and must secure utility interconnection agreements for new power generation and storage systems,” the DOE stated. “Proposals will be competitively evaluated for technological readiness, financial viability, and detailed plans to complete regulatory and permitting requirements.”
Mike Goff, acting assistant secretary for nuclear energy, stated that the U.S. “must win the global AI race to ensure a higher quality of life for every American.”
“Today’s solicitation accelerates President Trump’s aggressive pace to deliver the necessary AI infrastructure and reliable power assets needed to transform scientific research that can help us solve some of the most complex challenges facing the world today,” Goff stated on Sept. 8.
Applications are due by Nov. 7, and selected companies will be announced in December.
U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, took to X on Sept. 8 to thank Wright and President Trump for their “leadership in promoting American leadership in AI.”
“INL will continue to play a critical role in the global AI race,” Simpson wrote.
