ARCO, Idaho — As part of the celebration of our nation's 250th birthday, Idaho News 6 is celebrating the Gem State's contributions to this country, including nuclear power.
Built in 1951, EBR-1, the world's first nuclear power plant, is located just outside Arco, Idaho, and is now open to the public as a museum.
Fast forward to 2026, and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is now home to a new facility that aims to change the future of nuclear power in America.
This was our first look inside the new DOME facility at what’s known as the EBR-2 containment building at the INL in Eastern Idaho.
DOME is an acronym used for "demonstration of microreactor experiments."
Curtis Nielsen, Technical Program Manager for the National Reactor Innovation Center, told Idaho News 6 that the facility was built to endure the most extreme conditions.
"It's completely safe. It's a contained facility. It's designed to take, like I said, major earthquakes, natural disasters, and still contain everything that's inside of it to never leave the facility,” explained Nielsen.
WATCH: Idaho News 6 gets a firsthand look at the new facility at the Idaho National Laboratory
To get inside, we had to open a thick, locked, and air-sealed door.
"And it's designed that way so that when the reactor is in operation, you don't want people to go in there and expose themselves to radiation," added Nielsen. "So it's designed to lock, close, and have a very tight seal so that people don't get in and air doesn't come out."
According to Nielsen, their recent accomplishments are fostering a renaissance of advanced nuclear experiments that the United States hasn't experienced since the 1950s. “What it does is— it allows us to go bring in different companies' reactor experiments, small reactors that could be used in small communities as disaster relief or for impoverished areas."
For 75 years, INL has been home to scientific innovations in advanced nuclear, renewable energy, and security solutions across its world-class research campuses and facilities. That history is a source of pride for scientists across the United States.
"To me, it's one of those things that Idaho should be proud of that we have this kind of facility in our state, and we're on the leading edge of development of these advanced reactors in a time when these reactors are proving out how safe they are," Nielsen said.
Senior Reporter Don Nelson asked Nielsen how long the temporary reactor will be in place at the INL.
Nielsen replied, "One year. And our plan is for the next 20 years to bring one reactor in every year, do its experiment, [and] take it out. The first one, we are getting prepped. In fact, all the equipment you see right here is to help us get set up for that first reactor, and that's going to be this summer."
When asked if they have a target date to turn the reactor on, Nielsen answered, "The target for that reactor to turn on is July 4th."
He added, "[it's] another reason to celebrate on America's 250th birthday."
If you're planning on visiting the area, the EBR-1 Atomic Museum will soon be a free attraction. It’s scheduled to open on Memorial Day.
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