Army to spend $2B to build nuclear microreactors at 5 bases as US seeks to ramp up nuclear power
- The U.S. Army announced plans to deploy nuclear microreactors at five military bases across the country to provide independent, reliable power sources not dependent on the commercial electric grid.
- Five companies will be awarded up to $2.2 billion in total over five years to own, construct and operate the microreactors, contingent on meeting performance milestones.
- The Army expects more than 20 nuclear microreactors will be built and operated as part of the 'Janus Program' launched last year.
- The microreactors will be licensed by the Army rather than the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Army is coordinating with the Energy Department on radioactive waste removal.
- The initiative is part of the Trump administration's broader push to develop next-generation nuclear power to meet growing energy demands from data centers and other applications.
The U.S. Army announced Wednesday that it will deploy nuclear microreactors at five military bases spanning from New York to Texas. The initiative aims to provide reliable, independent power sources that do not depend on the commercial electric grid, enhancing energy resilience at military installations.
Five companies selected by the Army will receive up to $2.2 billion in total funding over five years to own, construct, and operate the microreactors, provided they achieve specified performance milestones. The Army anticipates that more than 20 nuclear microreactors will ultimately be built and operated. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll stated that the awards will enable the military to "deliver safe, reliable baseload power directly to our installations" and build "energy resilience necessary to project combat power globally, without relying on potentially vulnerable external grids."
The program, known as the 'Janus Program,' was launched last year and represents part of the Trump administration's broader effort to advance next-generation nuclear power development. Officials view this as a transitional step to move advanced reactor designs from experimental prototypes to operational power generation. The microreactors will be licensed by the Army rather than the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Army is coordinating with the Energy Department regarding radioactive waste removal to prevent long-term storage at military installations.
Critics argue that the program represents an expensive and risky approach, with some contending that the military's substantial funding provides hidden subsidies to nuclear companies unable to secure private-sector customers. However, Army officials maintain that the reactors are designed with safety features including automatic shutdown capabilities and that deployment will only proceed after confirming safety standards.
美国陆军投资20亿美元在5个基地建设核微反应堆，推进核能发展
美国陆军周三宣布将在从纽约到德克萨斯州的五个军事基地部署核微反应堆。该举措旨在提供不依赖商业电网的可靠独立电源，增强军事设施的能源韧性。
由陆军选定的五家公司将在五年内获得最高22亿美元的总资金，用于拥有、建造和运营这些微反应堆，前提是达到既定的性能里程碑。陆军预计最终将建造和运营超过20座核微反应堆。陆军部长丹·德里斯科尔表示，这些奖励将使军队能够"直接向我们的设施提供安全、可靠的基础负荷电力"，并建立"在不依赖潜在脆弱外部电网的情况下全球投射作战力量所需的能源韧性"。
该计划被称为"詹纳斯计划"，去年启动，是特朗普政府推进下一代核能发展的更广泛努力的一部分。官员们将其视为将先进反应堆设计从实验原型过渡到实际发电的关键步骤。这些微反应堆将由陆军而非美国核管理委员会进行许可，陆军正与能源部协调放射性废料处理事宜，以防止在军事设施长期储存。
批评人士认为该计划成本高昂且风险较大，有人声称军方的巨额资金为无法获得私营部门客户的核公司提供了隐性补贴。然而，陆军官员坚持认为这些反应堆具有包括自动关闭功能在内的安全特性，且只有在确认安全标准后才会进行部署。