US military spending US$2.2bil to build small nuclear reactors

In May 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to expedite the development of advanced nuclear power. The US Army has now allocated a total of US$2.2 billion to build and operate small nuclear reactors at five military installations across the country, with a goal of having the first operational by September 2028.

According to the Army, the nation's electric grid may be vulnerable, and reliance on liquid fossil fuels like diesel for backup power in conflicts presents logistical challenges. The government intends to install these small modular reactors (SMRs) at five initial sites, as the energy department also pushes for SMR advancements.

Five firms, including emerging startups Antares Nuclear and Radiant Industries and established nuclear entities Westinghouse and General Atomics, have been chosen for the project. Since June, five companies have reached the "criticality" stage, where reactors can operate independently without external energy, and theoretically, generate power.

However, no SMR is currently in service, and only one manufacturer, NuScale, has obtained NRC approval. The military possesses its own certification process, which facilitated the Navy's launch of the USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, in 1954. The Army is collaborating with the Department of Energy and the NRC to harmonize regulations, ensuring that SMR developers can transition smoothly from Army approval to potential NRC approval, facilitating their market entry into the industry or local governments.