Using Idaho’s energy expertise to meet the growing demand for clean, efficient energy

Demand for electricity in Idaho is growing quickly. Idaho Power projects that energy demand in its service area will increase by about 7.7% each year over the next five years, up from the 5.5% growth rate projected in 2023. Over the next two decades, summer peak demand could rise from roughly 3,750 megawatts (MW) today to about 5,250 MW, an increase of more than 1,500 MW (40%). While Avista projects slower long-term growth for its service area, it is still working to add new energy resources in the near term to meet increased demand.

To keep up with growing energy needs like this, utilities have traditionally increased capacity by building large power plants and transmission lines like the Boardman to Hemingway project, a 500-kilovolt (kV) line currently under construction across Oregon and Idaho. When this project is completed, it will transport up to 1,000MW of power, enough to energize 300,000 homes, according to Idaho Power’s projections.

Large-scale systems like this are efficient at moving electricity over long distances, connecting energy sources — like hydroelectric dams on far-flung rivers, wind farms in windy open plains and natural gas plants near pipelines — to the communities that need power. In many ways, they function like highways or railroads for electricity, carrying energy from central station power plants to distant users.

Today, new technologies are emerging that complement this system by producing energy closer to where it’s needed. By generating power locally, we can reduce strain on transmission lines and improve efficiency. Many of these technologies also produce thermal energy, or heat, which can be used directly for things like heating buildings or supporting industrial processes, avoiding the energy losses that occur when heat is converted to electricity and transported long distances.

Two promising technologies in this area are Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) and advanced nuclear energy. Both have the potential to strengthen Idaho’s energy system by providing reliable, lower-emission power close to where it’s used.

With its natural resources and research expertise, Idaho is well positioned to lead in developing these solutions. Advancing these technologies could elevate our state as a national model for affordable, clean energy, strengthening industries, supporting communities and enhancing quality of life.

Geothermal energy use in Idaho

Idaho’s connection to geothermal energy runs deep. Long before statehood, the region’s Indigenous peoples recognized the value of this abundant resource, and they gathered at naturally occurring hot springs for bathing, heating, cooking and medicinal purposes.

In 1883, the C.W. Moore home in Boise became the first known residence in the world to use geothermal energy for heating. Over time, the Warm Springs neighborhood expanded its reliance on that same geothermal resource and still relies on it today.

Beyond traditional hot spring geothermal use, Idaho has also played a pioneering role in geothermal innovation. In 1980, developers used a geothermal site in southeast Cassia County in southern Idaho to test new geothermal technology. Initially producing only 7MW, the facility was small compared to central station facilities producing hundreds of megawatts, but it was large for a geothermal plant at the time. Furthermore, the facility was designed to reinject cooled fluids back into the hydrothermal reservoir, saving water and protecting the resource while generating electric power. Following additional development in the mid-2000s, the Raft River Geothermal Power Plant in Cassia County now produces 10MW of clean, dispatchable electricity.

The Raft River area is part of the broader Great Basin geothermal region, spanning Nevada, Utah, California, Oregon, Idaho and Arizona. By 2016, the region supported approximately 24 geothermal power plants with a combined capacity approaching 600 MW, roughly half the capacity of the three hydroelectric dams in the Hells Canyon Complex on the Middle Snake River in Idaho.

Momentum for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) in Idaho continued to build with the launch of the Department of Energy’s Energy Earthshots™ initiative in 2022 which includes the Enhanced Geothermal Shot™ program. The initiative’s goal is to advance EGS technologies and reduce electricity costs by 90% to $45 per megawatt-hour by 2035. This price would make EGS cost competitive with more traditional energy options while still being clean, renewable and dispatchable.

The future of Idaho EGS

Idaho has a powerful energy resource just beneath its feet. Unlike wind or solar energy, which depend on weather conditions, geothermal energy is available around the clock. Energy production from EGS can also be scaled to meet minute-by-minute demand, making it a reliable and flexible energy source, similar to traditional power plants.

While geothermal energy has long been used in areas where hot water is close to the surface, much of Idaho’s potential remains untapped because the hottest resources lie deeper underground. That’s beginning to change.

Advances in research and technology are making it possible to access these deeper heat sources through what is termed Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). EGS use advanced drilling techniques, adapted from the oil and gas industry, to reach resources that were once too difficult or costly to access.

These innovations open the door to geothermal development in many more areas, including much of southern Idaho, with applications ranging from heating homes and greenhouses to supporting industrial processes and generating electricity. When developed near communities or industrial sites, geothermal systems can also provide direct heat for buildings and operations, improving efficiency and reducing energy loss by circumventing long-distance transportation of electricity.

Since deeper geothermal resources are hotter in most areas, EGS can produce higher temperatures than traditional geothermal systems, enabling a wider range of applications. Some systems can also operate in closed loops, meaning they don’t require large, ongoing inputs of surface water — an important advantage in the water-restricted western United States.

Advanced nuclear energy in Idaho

Since the dawn of the nuclear age, Idaho has played a leading role in the development and demonstration of nuclear energy. From early reactor designs to advancements in grid integration and site security, the state has been at the forefront of innovation.

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has been central to this legacy, hosting 52 operating nuclear reactors over the years. Today, INL is preparing to test the next generation of advanced nuclear technologies, including Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) technologies for electricity and heat production.

As their names suggest, these reactors are smaller and more flexible than traditional nuclear power plants, which typically generate around 1,000 MW of electricity. SMRs generally produce up to 300 MW, while MMRs generate between 1 and 20 MW, making them well suited for smaller-scale or local energy needs.

Across Idaho, a growing network of companies, researchers and institutions are working with INL to advance workforce development, policy, product innovation and foundational research for advanced nuclear power. Together, this nuclear ecosystem is helping meet the nation’s increasing demand for clean, reliable energy while positioning Idaho as a leader in the next generation of nuclear solutions.

The future of advanced nuclear energy in Idaho

Advanced nuclear technologies offer a powerful complement to geothermal energy. SMRs and MMRs can be built closer to where energy is used, reducing the need for long-distance transmission and increasing efficiency.

In traditional nuclear power plants, heat from the nuclear reactor is used to create steam that spins turbines to generate electricity, with excess heat released into the environment. Newer SMR and MMR designs expand on this approach. Some are built to deliver heat directly for industrial processes, while others can produce heat and electricity.

This flexibility is opening the door to new energy systems, including community- or campus-scale “energy districts” powered by one or more small reactors. These systems could meet most of a community’s energy needs while remaining connected to the broader electric grid for reliability.

In addition, heat-focused SMR and MMR designs can reach higher temperatures than geothermal systems, making them well suited for energy-intensive industries such as advanced manufacturing and critical materials production.

Moving together toward a clean energy future

As Idaho’s research and industry partnerships continue to grow, new applications for EGS and nuclear energy will continue to emerge. By developing geothermal and advanced nuclear energy close to where it’s needed, the state can reduce reliance on distant energy sources and ease pressure on aging electric and natural gas infrastructure. The result is a more efficient, resilient and locally powered energy system.

Together, these technologies position Idaho to meet rising energy demands but continued progress will depend on sustained collaboration, innovation and a willingness to refine and improve these solutions over time.

At University of Idaho, we recognize the importance of this kind of collaboration and see that tomorrow’s challenges won’t be solved with yesterday’s approaches. We prepare our students to look further ahead and to take on complex problems with fresh perspectives and purpose.

For energy, this means deploying technology that is not only clean but efficient and resilient — technologies that produce power closer to where it’s used. It also means integrating advanced digital tools to improve safety, reliability and performance.

We do this through collaboration and hands-on learning. Multi-disciplinary teams and experiential classrooms have always been a part of the Vandal experience. Today, we’re expanding opportunities for students, researchers and industry partners to come together through shared projects, applied research, continuing education opportunities and an energy symposia focused on the most pressing energy challenges. By bringing together diverse perspectives and openly sharing ideas, we create space for solutions that wouldn’t emerge in isolation.

Join us in this brave and bold pursuit of a clean energy future. Bring your curiosity, your perspective and your drive to make a difference. Together, we can meet the challenge and shape what comes next.