The US Navy is turning to a portable nuclear microreactor to power a key military base even if the lights go out

The United States Navy is preparing to put a truck‑portable nuclear microreactor on standby to keep a critical weapons‑storage installation in Indiana humming even if the regional power grid fails. Dubbed “Project Pele,” the compact reactor will first have to demonstrate it can run at full power in a remote test site in Idaho before it is shipped to the base. If successful, the microreactor could become a template for how the military—and perhaps the civilian sector—maintains essential services during blackouts, extreme weather or cyber‑attacks.

What Happened

In a recent procurement decision, the Navy selected a mobile, truck‑mounted nuclear microreactor to serve as a backup power source for the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana. The facility houses a large cache of munitions and critical command‑and‑control equipment, making uninterrupted power a national‑security imperative. The microreactor, built by a private industry partner, is designed to be transported on a standard 8‑by‑10‑foot trailer and can be set up in a matter of days.

Before the device can be deployed to Indiana, the Navy has ordered a full‑power test at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The Idaho test will run the reactor at its rated output of roughly 10‑15 megawatts for an extended period, proving that the system can deliver reliable electricity without the need for a traditional grid connection. The Navy expects the Idaho trial to conclude within the next 12‑18 months, after which the mobile unit could be shipped to the Midwest base for a pilot‑phase installation.

Key Details

The microreactor is a small modular reactor (SMR) that uses a liquid‑metal coolant and a low‑enriched uranium fuel core. Its compact size—about the length of a city bus—allows it to be moved by a single tractor‑trailer, and its design incorporates passive safety features that shut down the reaction automatically if temperature or pressure thresholds are exceeded. According to the contract, the unit can operate continuously for up to 10 years without refueling, delivering a steady 10‑15 MW of electricity and heat, enough to power the entire Crane complex and provide redundancy for critical systems.

Funding for the project comes from the Navy’s “Energy Resilience” budget, which has been bolstered by recent congressional appropriations aimed at hardening military infrastructure against grid‑failure scenarios. The Idaho test will be overseen by the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, which will evaluate the reactor’s performance, emissions, and compliance with safety regulations before granting a final operating license. If the test is successful, the Navy plans to field two additional units for other high‑risk installations, such as forward operating bases overseas.

Background

The Navy’s interest in portable nuclear power is not new. In the 1960s and 1970s, the service experimented with small “nuclear‑powered” generators for submarines and surface ships, but the technology never scaled to land‑based applications. In recent years, the rapid growth of SMR designs—driven by private firms seeking commercial markets—has revived military interest in compact reactors that can be deployed quickly and operate with minimal staffing.

Concurrently, the United States has experienced a spate of large‑scale blackouts caused by extreme weather, cyber‑intrusions, and aging grid infrastructure. The 2021 Texas power crisis and the 2023 Northeast outage highlighted the vulnerability of critical defense sites that rely on civilian electricity. The Navy’s decision to pursue a portable nuclear solution reflects a broader shift toward energy independence for national‑security assets.

Why It Matters

First, the microreactor provides a resilient power source that can keep the Crane weapons depot operational even if the regional grid collapses. Continuous power is essential for climate‑controlled storage, security systems, and communications that support both domestic and overseas missions. A loss of electricity could jeopardize the safety of thousands of munitions and compromise the Navy’s ability to respond to emerging threats.

Second, the project serves as a proof‑of‑concept for a new class of mobile nuclear energy that could be exported to other branches of the armed forces and even to civilian disaster‑relief operations. A successful deployment would demonstrate that nuclear power can be safely packaged, transported, and operated with a small crew, potentially reshaping the United States’ energy strategy for remote installations, forward bases, and critical infrastructure.

What Happens Next

The immediate next step is the Idaho full‑power test, slated to begin in early 2025. Engineers will monitor the reactor’s thermal performance, radiation shielding, and automatic shutdown mechanisms under a variety of simulated load conditions. Upon successful completion, the Department of Energy will issue a limited operating license, allowing the Navy to move the unit to Indiana for a six‑month field trial.

During the field trial, the microreactor will be integrated with the base’s existing power distribution network, and its output will be logged against the base’s demand profile. The Navy will also conduct training exercises for the on‑site personnel who will operate and maintain the system. If the trial meets performance and safety benchmarks, the Navy plans to commission the reactor for permanent use at Crane and to begin procurement of additional units for other high‑risk sites.

In an era where power outages can threaten both national security and public safety, the Navy’s gamble on a portable nuclear microreactor could set a new standard for energy resilience. Whether the Idaho test proves the technology’s reliability will determine if the lights at Indiana’s weapons base stay on—no matter how dark the grid becomes.