July 1, 2026 - Statement from Lt. Gov. Bedke on the criticality of Deployable Energy’s Unity reactor at Idaho National Laboratory

BOISE, Idaho - Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Energy announcing that Deployable Energy's Unity reactor reached criticality at Idaho National Laboratory, marking the third advanced reactor to reach the milestone in a single month:

"President Trump set a goal, and Idaho delivered. Three advanced reactors reaching criticality in a single month, with two of them at the Idaho National Laboratory, is proof that Idaho is the workhorse behind unleashing American energy dominance. This didn't happen by accident, it happened because Idaho has the workforce, the infrastructure, and the national laboratory capability to get things done faster than anywhere else in the world.

"As our nation marks its 250th birthday, Idaho is showing what American energy leadership looks like in action. I want to congratulate the teams at Deployable Energy, Idaho National Laboratory, and the Department of Energy for their tireless work. Idaho is proud to be their partner, and we look forward to continuing to build on this momentum as more advanced reactor projects choose Idaho as their starting point."

President Trump's May 2025 executive orders on advanced nuclear reactor deployment, including the directive to achieve criticality in three pilot reactors by July 4, 2026, can be found at https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/05/deploying-advanced-nuclear-reactor-technologies-for-national-security/.

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