The U.S. Army is moving ahead with a major nuclear-energy initiative that could bring small nuclear reactors to five military installations across the country as part of a broader effort to strengthen energy security.
Under the Army's Janus Program, five nuclear-energy companies have been selected for awards worth up to a combined $2.2 billion to own, construct and operate nuclear microreactors at military bases. The initiative is being carried out in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit.
The Army says the reactors are intended to provide reliable, resilient electricity even if commercial power grids are disrupted, helping ensure that critical military operations can continue.
Five Military Bases Selected
The initial locations stretch from the Southeast to Texas and New York.
The Army selected:
Fort Bragg, North Carolina — Antares Nuclear
Fort Campbell, Kentucky — BWXT Advanced Technologies
Fort Hood, Texas — General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems
Fort Benning, Georgia — Radiant Industries
Fort Drum, New York — Westinghouse Government Services
Each company will be responsible for developing a reactor suited to its assigned installation.
The Army has described the program as an important step toward reducing military dependence on vulnerable external power infrastructure.
Why the Army Wants Nuclear Power
Military bases require electricity for far more than basic lighting and housing. Communications systems, command facilities, radar equipment, data systems and other mission-critical operations can depend on a continuous power supply.
A major disruption to the commercial grid could therefore affect military readiness.
Army officials say nuclear microreactors could provide an independent source of baseload electricity, allowing installations to maintain operations during grid failures or other emergencies.
"Energy resilience" is a central goal of the Janus Program, with the Army seeking to make its installations less dependent on potentially vulnerable commercial electricity networks.
Microreactors Are Smaller Than Traditional Plants
The systems being considered are significantly smaller than conventional commercial nuclear power plants.
According to Reuters, the microreactors are designed to be compact and potentially transportable, with individual units capable of generating as much as 20 megawatts of electricity. Some designs can operate for years without requiring refueling.
That smaller footprint could make the technology attractive for military facilities where constructing a traditional nuclear power plant would be impractical.
The technology also has potential applications at remote military installations where connecting to commercial electricity networks can be expensive or unreliable.
First Reactor Targeted for 2028
The Army is working toward having at least one reactor operational by September 2028.
The program follows the Trump administration's broader push to accelerate the development and deployment of nuclear technology in the United States. The Army's effort is also intended to help create a domestic industrial base capable of producing advanced nuclear systems at scale.
The initial five sites are viewed as an important testing ground before the technology could potentially expand to additional military installations.
The Army has indicated that more than 20 microreactors could eventually be deployed across Department of Defense facilities if the program succeeds and attracts additional private investment.
Safety and Cost Questions Remain
Despite the potential benefits, the program faces questions about cost, reactor technology and regulatory oversight.
The microreactors must meet environmental and safety requirements, but unlike commercial nuclear reactors, the military systems will be regulated by the Army rather than the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Critics have also questioned whether emerging microreactor designs can deliver electricity economically compared with other energy sources.
The Army, however, argues that the value of the technology extends beyond the price of electricity. For military installations, having reliable power available during a grid outage can be a national-security consideration.
Part of a Broader Nuclear Revival
The military initiative comes as nuclear power is receiving renewed attention across the United States.
Growing electricity demand, data-center expansion, artificial intelligence and concerns about grid resilience have encouraged both government agencies and private companies to explore new nuclear technologies.
For the Army, the immediate objective is more specific: ensuring military installations have dependable electricity when they need it most.
If the Janus Program succeeds, the five initial bases could become the starting point for a much larger military nuclear-power network, potentially changing how the Pentagon approaches energy security for decades to come.
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