The U.S. Department of Energy on Sept. 8 issued a Request for Application and is seeking proposals from U.S. companies to build and power AI data centers at Idaho National Laboratory.
This is the first solicitation released under President Trump to promote American leadership in AI and leverages federal land assets to quickly deploy cutting-edge data centers and energy generation projects, DOE said.
"Today’s action will drive private sector funding, grow the nation’s AI computing capabilities, and help scale-up emerging power sources to reliably meet future energy demands," it said.
Idaho National Laboratory is one of four sites identified by the Department for AI infrastructure and generation projects on federal land.
DOE’s Idaho Operations Office is now seeking proposals from U.S. companies to potentially enter into one or more long-term leasing agreements at the site that would be solely funded by the applicants.
The DOE site office previously identified approximately 44,000 acres of land for AI infrastructure projects and will prioritize applications that integrate innovative energy generation and storage projects with AI data centers, which could include advanced nuclear reactors, enhanced geothermal systems, and cold underground thermal energy storage.
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.
Proposals will be competitively evaluated for technological readiness, financial viability, and detailed plans to complete regulatory and permitting requirements.
Initial applications are due by November 7, 2025, with subsequent applications allowed on a rolling basis.
DOE will sponsor a virtual industry day event on September 26, 2025 to learn more about the solicitation process.
Registration is required and potential attendees should email Robert Coleman at colemarb@id.doe.gov for more information.
Additional information on the RFA can be found here.
