BOISE - A French-government-controlled nuclear energy company is in talks with officials in Idaho and other states over a planned $2 billion uranium enrichment facility that by 2014 could supply fuel to commercial nuclear power plants.

Areva Incorporated recently hired Erika Malmen, wife of Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's former chief of staff, Jeff Malmen, to lobby Otter and state lawmakers.

Idaho legislators have been approached about providing hundreds of millions in tax incentives to help the company build a plant in eastern Idaho, near the Idaho National Laboratory.

Areva spokeswoman, Laurence Pernot, declined to say if Idaho was on its short list and wouldn't disclose the possible locations, but said the final announcement is due "in the coming weeks."

Idaho has recently become a target for nuclear projects, with one company, MidAmerican Nuclear Energy, recently abandoning a proposed facility and another still aiming to build a commercial reactor on 4,000 acres southeast of Boise.