The developers behind a proposed Elmore County nuclear plant have now applied for another site in western Idaho.

Alternate Energy Holdings Inc., which shifted its proposed plant from Owyhee County to a site near Hammett in early 2008, has asked for a comprehensive-plan amendment for a remote, 5,100-acre site in northern Payette County.

Company officials said in August that delays in the Elmore County process led them to consider other options, though spokesman Martin Johncox said Tuesday that AEHI is not leaving Elmore County.

"If we indeed want to build a nuclear power plant, we have to press forward, and that's what we're doing," Johncox said.

Nuclear developers have already looked at Payette County once recently. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett's MidAmerican Nuclear Energy abandoned a proposal at a different Payette County site in early 2008, saying it did not make economic sense.

County officials now face the same challenge Elmore and Owyhee officials did: Buffett's proposal was on state land, and this will be the first nuclear-plant application Payette has handled directly, said Payette County Planning and Zoning Administrator Mary Mejia. The plan amendment will require two public hearings, she said. AEHI officials would then need to submit a conceptual plan and go through more hearings to actually rezone the site.

The Elmore County application reached county commissioners this spring, but was remanded back to that county's P&Z. An extensive comprehensive-plan analysis and staff report is currently being reviewed by county staff and various attorneys, said Growth and Development Director Alan Christy. He also said he's offering advice to Payette County after officials contacted him with questions on Monday.

Johncox said AEHI is confident Payette County will work for them. But the Snake River Alliance, long a critic of the company, questioned right away why Gillispie thinks he can build a plant in the county where Buffett couldn't.

"Mr. Buffett had three things Mr. Gillispie lacks: Money, a proven energy track record and credibility among local residents," said Ken Miller, the group's energy program director, in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.