Sawtooth Energy & Development Corporation proposes to construct and operate the Midpoint Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Project #1 on approximately 320 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in Jerome County, Idaho (N. ½ of Section 17, Township 7 South, Range 18 East), about 14.5 miles northeast of the city of Jerome. The site, largely surrounded by desert and used mainly for seasonal livestock grazing, has little available water, making it ideal for SMR technology that requires minimal or no water for cooling.
The project would deploy three to six SMR power modules, each generating 60 to 200 megawatts electric (MWe), with a total capacity of up to 600 MWe of carbon-free, firm, and dispatchable power. The facility would connect directly to Idaho Power’s Midpoint Substation, located just 2.75 miles west, minimizing the need for new transmission infrastructure.
The purpose of the project is to boost Idaho’s baseload electricity capacity with clean, reliable energy while utilizing public land for national benefit. It addresses growing regional energy demand, aging infrastructure, and decarbonization goals, and provides the type of stable energy increasingly needed for sectors like AI development in the western U.S. Without such projects, energy-intensive industries may seek to develop nuclear power in less suitable or more controversial locations.
An Environmental Impact Statement evaluated the project and a No Action Alternative. It concluded that, with mitigation, no significant adverse environmental impacts are expected. Construction impacts would be minor and temporary, and operations would align with regional land use and environmental goals. The project also supports clean energy development, grid reliability, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and long-term revenue for Idaho’s public trust beneficiaries.
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