US Army bets $2.2 billion on microreactors
Washington, Aug 28 (IANS) The US Army has selected five military installations and five private companies for a programme worth up to $2.2 billion to build and operate nuclear microreactors, aiming to provide reliable power independent of potentially vulnerable civilian grids.
The Army announced the selections under its Janus Program, conducted in partnership with the US War Department’s Defense Innovation Unit. It expects to deploy more than 20 microreactors across military installations eventually.
The five initial projects will be located at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Campbell in Kentucky, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia and Fort Drum in New York.
Antares Nuclear Inc. was selected for Fort Bragg, while BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC will work at Fort Campbell. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems was chosen for Fort Hood.
Radiant Industries Inc. will develop the project at Fort Benning, and Westinghouse Government Services will work at Fort Drum.
“Since launching the Janus Program, our mandate from President Trump and Secretary Hegseth has been clear: secure the power our warfighters need to train, deploy and win,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said.
“Awarding these contracts accelerates our ability to deliver safe, reliable baseload power directly to our installations. We are building the energy resilience necessary to project combat power globally, without relying on potentially vulnerable external grids.”
The awards will cover up to $2.2 billion between fiscal years 2027 and 2031. The companies are also expected to commit significant private capital to their projects.
Payments will be tied to specific technical milestones. The government will release funds only after the companies achieve the agreed goals, according to the Army.
The prototype reactors will remain owned and operated by the contractors. The companies will also be required to coordinate with local utility providers.
The Army is seeking systems capable of operating continuously for extended periods, rather than reactors developed solely for short demonstrations.
“We are seeking not just reactors capable of turning on for a brief demonstration, but rather systems able to deliver power with high-capacity factors for years of operation,” said Jeff Waksman, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment.
“The Janus Program will be a complete success when and only when we have assisted multiple nuclear companies in developing truly reliable and affordable nuclear microreactors, which they can sell to other buyers beyond just the military.”
The Army said the selection process involved nuclear and technical experts from the Department of Energy, national laboratories and military services. They examined technical risks, finances and the management capabilities of each company.
Officials assessed the installations based on their energy requirements and factors including seismic conditions, hydrology and safety. Additional military sites will be announced later.
The programme aims to have its first reactor operating by September 2028. That target was established under an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.
“The Army is leading the nation in its return to nuclear preeminence,” Janus Program manager Jason Craft said. “Our selected industry awardees represent the most viable technologies to achieve this capability, setting conditions for both installation energy resilience and operational energy solutions.”
Microreactors are compact nuclear fission systems designed to generate electricity and heat at isolated facilities or in locations with limited grid access. Their smaller size may allow components to be assembled in factories and transported to their operating sites.
US military installations generally obtain much of their electricity from civilian utility networks. Defence officials have increasingly pursued on-site energy sources and backup systems to maintain essential operations during grid failures, natural disasters, cyberattacks or physical disruptions.
–IANS
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