WASHINGTON, 27 August, 2026(Ghufran): The US Army has announced plans to award up to $2.2 billion to five companies to develop and operate nuclear microreactors at military bases, as part of efforts to ensure reliable power supplies at remote installations. The programme, known as Janus, aims to develop small, factory-built nuclear reactors capable of generating up to 20 megawatts of electricity each. The Army hopes the technology could eventually provide dependable power to isolated military facilities, including bases in Alaska and on remote islands. The programme has set a target of deploying the first reactor by September 2028. The five companies selected by the Army and their proposed locations are Antares Nuclear Inc. at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems at Fort Hood, Texas; Radiant Industries Inc. at Fort Benning, Georgia; and Westinghouse Government Services at Fort Drum, New York. The Army has not disclosed how much funding each company will receive. Radiant Industries, however, said it could receive up to $750 million to develop and deploy 15 of its Kaleidos microreactors under the programme.Army officials said the reactors will be required to comply with applicable environmental and safety standards for commercial nuclear facilities. However, the reactors will be regulated by the Army rather than the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which oversees commercial nuclear reactors.

Jeff Waksman, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, said the long-term objective was to develop a commercially viable nuclear power product. The initiative could also help companies expand into civilian markets. Radiant Chief Commercial Officer Mike Starrett told Reuters that the Janus award could help the company scale its operations and eventually serve commercial customers, including data centres, by around 2030.Microreactors have faced criticism over concerns that they could be more expensive than conventional nuclear power plants. Waksman acknowledged that the technology is not expected to initially cost less than conventional plants, but said the Janus programme would help determine how production and operating costs could be reduced. The Army currently spends about 40 cents per kilowatt-hour to supply electricity to some Arctic installations. Officials hope microreactors could significantly reduce those costs while providing a more reliable source of power in remote locations. The programme is also expected to encourage private investment, with the Army anticipating that companies will raise additional capital beyond federal funding to develop and deploy the reactors.Starrett said Radiant’s containerised reactors could be transported directly to customers, potentially avoiding some electricity transmission costs. He estimated that the delivered cost of power from the company’s reactors could eventually range between 20 and 30 cents per kilowatt-hour.