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Army details plans for nuclear microreactors at five military bases

A new $2.2 billion program aims to secure off-grid backup power for critical military operations by 2028.

Updated Aug 26, 2026 · 21:21 UTC3 reports

The short version

  • The U.S. Army announced up to $2.2 billion in funding for five companies to build and run small nuclear reactors at military bases in North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, Georgia, and New York.
  • The initiative, called the Janus Program, is designed to ensure bases can sustain critical operations independently if the commercial power grid fails or fossil fuel supplies are disrupted.
  • The project represents a major transition toward deployable nuclear energy, with the Army aiming to have an advanced reactor operational by late September 2028.

Key facts

  • The Army's Janus Program selected five companies for the initiative: Antares Nuclear (Fort Bragg), BWX Technologies (Fort Campbell), General Atomics (Fort Hood), Radiant Industries (Fort Benning), and Westinghouse Government Services (Fort Drum).[Business Insider · Associated Press]
  • The five-year, $2.2 billion contracts will be awarded in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit and are tied to performance milestones.[Business Insider · Associated Press]
  • The initiative stems from a May 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump to accelerate nuclear development, requiring an active reactor at a domestic base by September 30, 2028.[Business Insider · Associated Press]
  • The reactors will produce between 1 and 20 megawatts of power and will be licensed by the Army instead of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.[Associated Press]
  • While bases will remain connected to commercial grids, the microreactors will provide backup energy to replace diesel generators, which rely on potentially vulnerable fuel supply lines.[Business Insider · Associated Press]

What remains uncertain

  • Critics question whether the microreactors are too expensive and carry safety risks, though Army officials claim the systems are small, safe, and designed to shut down automatically during failures.[Associated Press]
  • The long-term commercial viability of the participating vendors is unproven, which is why the Army selected five companies to maintain competition and offset potential business failures.[Business Insider]
  • It remains unclear how widely the reactors can be deployed across other military installations, as the Army is still evaluating future site expansion costs.[Business Insider]

Sources