"U.S. to Install 'Micro Nuclear Reactors' at Army Bases by 2028"

WSJ Reports Announcement of "Janus Program"

Texas National Guard deployed in Elwood, Illinois. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

The U.S. military has decided to install "micro nuclear reactors" at several major Army bases within the country to meet the growing demand for electricity. The key objective is to provide uninterrupted power supply to maintain weapon systems 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and other sources, the U.S. Army announced this plan, called the "Janus Program," on October 14 (local time).

The U.S. military plans to develop micro nuclear reactors with a generation capacity of less than 20 megawatts (MW) and supply power to key domestic Army bases starting in 2028.

Although a 20 MW-class micro nuclear reactor has a much smaller generation capacity compared to gigawatt (GW)-class commercial reactors, its greatest advantage is its compact size, allowing it to be easily transported using standard containers or military transport aircraft.

The Army believes that micro nuclear reactors could help maintain the operation of key weapon systems or military bases in the event of disruptions to existing power sources caused by extreme weather such as heavy snow or rain, or by cyberattacks. In fact, the WSJ reported that there have been cases where power supply to military bases in Texas and California was cut off due to heavy snow, even within the U.S. mainland.

Furthermore, advanced weapon systems such as drones, drone defense systems, and state-of-the-art radar are increasingly demanding more power. In the civilian sector as well, the construction of data centers for artificial intelligence (AI) development is surging, further increasing overall electricity demand.

The micro nuclear reactors developed through this program will be owned and operated by private companies. The Army and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plan to assist with the supply of uranium nuclear fuel and provide technical support.

The Army is currently in the early stages of the program and is in the process of selecting nine military bases where the reactors will be deployed. Next year, it plans to select the companies that will supply the reactors to these bases.