FORT CAMPBELL, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Fort Campbell has been selected as one of the nine Army instillations in the country who are being considered as a potential location for a microreactor power plant. These plans are in conjunction with the Janus Program, the Army’s nuclear power program.
In partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the program will build commercial microreactors to accelerate delivery of advanced energy solutions to the warfighters, according to a news release from the U.S. Army.
The Army has maximized the number of potential sites based on technical feasibility, site suitability and available resources. Other bases under consideration along with Fort Campbell are Fort Benning, Fort Bragg, Fort Drum, Fort Hood, Fort Wainwright, Holston Army Ammunition Plant, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and Redstone Arsenal.
Technology rollout in stages for Janus Program
“These early site selections align with the Department of War’s goal of accelerating the pace of deploying on-site nuclear generation at our installations,” said Jordan Gillis, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment. “Through the use of the Army’s unique nuclear regulatory authorities, we are deploying a resilient, secure, and reliable energy supply for critical defense operations and in support of the most lethal land-based fighting force in the world.”
The rollout of Janus technology will occur in stages to ensure safe implementation, with the Army additionally noted that power plants are safe by design, not by intervention protocols. All potential projects will comply with the applicable federal, state, and local regulations, and leverage the safety features inherent in next-generation reactor designs.
“The Janus Program is taking its first step toward pairing specific nuclear reactor designs to specific U.S. Army installations,” said Dr. Jeff Waksman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment. “We will move to bending metal as quickly as possible, leveraging the enormous amount of technical talent gathered to execute this program.”
The Janus Program is leveraging the Department of Energy and its network of National Labs to ensure the appropriate expertise is applied to proposed designs, operational plans, and emergency preparedness plans. The Army does not anticipate any significant impact to installation land use.
Specific timelines for each location will be announced in future updates. The Army aims to provide transparent information throughout the planning process and welcomes public engagement and feedback.
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