Pocatello Campus Set to Host Four-Megawatt Reactor
Idaho State University plans to construct a second nuclear microreactor on its Pocatello campus, university President Robert Wagner announced to the Idaho State Board of Education on August 12. The four-megawatt facility will support research and workforce development as part of a public-private partnership model, Wagner explained to the board.
ISU is the sole university selected for the Nuclear Energy Launchpad USA program, a distinction that positions the institution as a regional leader in advanced energy technology. A formal ceremony marking the reactor’s location is scheduled for next month.
The microreactor announcement came as Wagner outlined the university’s broader strategic initiatives, including a major capital campaign that represents ISU’s first comprehensive fundraising effort in more than 25 years. The silent development phase of the campaign launched July 1.
Expanding Academic and Community Impact
Beyond the nuclear initiative, Wagner highlighted ISU’s substantial commitment to affordability and student support. The university awarded more than $57 million in scholarships during the last fiscal year, while maintaining tuition levels 19 percent below those of comparable institutions, according to fiscal year 2026 data.
The university is extending its reach across Southeast Idaho through multiple partnerships and programs. ISU’s Idaho Falls campus is experiencing growing enrollment, and new civil and mechanical engineering bachelor’s degree pathways recently launched in partnership with the College of Southern Idaho.
The Career Path internship program, now in its 15th year of operation, has facilitated more than 11,000 internships with more than 300 community and industry partners throughout the region. The program continues to connect students with meaningful work experience and employers with trained talent.
The Southeast Idaho Small Business Development Center provided more than 2,100 hours of consulting to 188 businesses in 2025, helping those clients raise more than $1.7 million in capital. The center serves as a critical resource for entrepreneurship and business growth across the region.
Health Sciences and Rural Health Expansion
ISU’s Institute of Rural Health received a nearly $1 million grant to expand AmeriCorps suicide prevention programs, addressing a critical public health need in rural communities. Wagner noted collaborative progress with the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM), stating that “together, ISU and ICOM are demonstrating how collaboration can strengthen healthcare education for all Idahoans.”, as first reported by the Idaho State Journal
The Skaggs Health Science Center in Meridian is set to expand with an additional 23 acres of development space, positioning the university to meet growing demand for healthcare workforce training in the state’s growing central region.
The university also introduced a new incoming student orientation workshop focused on civil communication across ideological, philosophical, and cultural lines—an initiative aimed at fostering respectful dialogue and community building on campus.
What Comes Next
The formal ceremony announcing the microreactor’s location on the Pocatello campus is expected next month. Meanwhile, ISU’s comprehensive fundraising campaign will move from its silent phase toward public solicitation, seeking support for the reactor project, scholarships, and expanded academic programs across Southeast Idaho. The campaign represents a significant investment in the university’s long-term growth and its role in regional economic development and workforce preparation.