The US Army announced Wednesday plans to add nuclear microreactors at five military bases from New York to Texas as a reliable source of energy independent of the commercial electric grid. According to reports from Business Standard, the Army will award up to $2.2 billion in total over five years to five companies selected to own, construct and operate the microreactors. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll stated that the awards will accelerate the military's ability to deliver safe, reliable baseload power directly to installations without relying on potentially vulnerable external grids. The initiative is part of a broader Trump Administration effort to revive the US nuclear industry, with the Army tasked to ensure an advanced reactor starts operating at a domestic military installation no later than September 30, 2028.
The Army expects that more than 20 nuclear microreactors will be built and operated under this initiative. As reported by Business Standard, the grants are part of the Army's 'Janus Program' launched last year to deliver next-generation nuclear energy. President Donald Trump signed executive orders in May 2025 to speed up nuclear power development, with the Army tasked to ensure an advanced reactor starts operating at a domestic military installation no later than September 30, 2028. The program is named for the ancient Roman god of transitions, with officials hoping to push nuclear development beyond experiments to provide power for years to come. 66% of the sources indicate that the companies must hit set milestones along the way for their performance to receive the full funding allocation.
The five companies selected for the program include Antares Nuclear at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, BWXT at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems at Fort Hood in Texas, Radiant Industries at Fort Benning in Georgia, and Westinghouse Government Services at Fort Drum in New York. According to Business Standard, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer specifically requested Fort Drum's inclusion, citing the critical missions requiring secure, reliable power generation. Each reactor will provide between 1 megawatt to 20 megawatts of power, depending on the company's design, with some companies planning to deliver reactors in three-packs. Westinghouse Government Services will build a 5-megawatt facility at Fort Drum to provide reliable onsite power, demonstrating the program's commitment to energy independence across multiple military installations.
Army and industry officials emphasize that microreactors offer a resilient power source for critical infrastructure at military installations. As reported by Business Standard, the reactors can run for years without refueling and will be licensed by the Army rather than the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The Army is working on a deal with the Energy Department to remove radioactive waste, with no long-term storage planned on these installations. The military installations will remain connected to the grid, with the reactors not providing complete power but serving as backup for critical infrastructure. The Army will license these microreactors directly rather than through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, designing them to shut down automatically during failures to ensure safe operations. This direct licensing approach addresses safety concerns while ensuring operational independence.
The Army plans to train a specialized workforce while potentially expanding the technology to about 15 additional sites within the five-year timeframe. Companies participating in the program expressed confidence in the initiative's potential to accelerate US nuclear development. According to Business Standard, California-based Antares reached a crucial milestone under the US pilot program that could allow it to produce electricity within a few years. Radiant Industries president Tori Shivanandan stated the $750 million award shows confidence in Radiant's product and ability to manufacture, deploy and safely operate nuclear microreactors. The Army expects billions of dollars in private capital investment alongside federal funding, with officials noting that delivering nuclear power to military bases will be challenging, prompting the selection of multiple companies to ensure redundancy.
