Fort Campbell, KY – The U.S. Army has announced that Fort Campbell has been selected as one of five military installations chosen to host an advanced, next-generation microreactor power plant under the Army’s Janus Program. This milestone initiative, executed in close partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), aims to secure uninterrupted, resilient power for critical defense missions.
The milestone selection is the culmination of a year-long, rigorous technical evaluation analyzing site suitability and installation mission requirements. Under the program, the Army and DIU are negotiating milestone-based Other Transactions Authority (OTA) agreements utilizing a competitive Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process.
As part of this first tranche of selected installations, Fort Campbell is programmatically aligned with contractor BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) to deploy a single 20-megawatt version of its BWXT Advanced Nuclear Reactor (BANR) technology. Detailed site-characterization, licensing, and design phases will begin immediately, with groundbreaking projected for late 2028 and reactor operations expected to commence in the early 2030s.
“The Janus Program is about transitioning from designs and experiments to reliable commercial hardware which secures our energy independence,” said Dr. Jeff Waksman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment.
Unlike traditional power infrastructure, the microreactor will occupy a highly compact footprint of less than 5 acres, entirely on post. Operating “behind the meter,” the facility will be dedicated exclusively to powering mission-essential operations on Fort Campbell. This “islandable” capability allows the installation’s critical national security assets to function completely independently from the commercial power grid during severe weather events, cyber disruptions, or regional blackouts.
“We are excited that Fort Campbell was selected to host an advanced, next-generation microreactor powerplant under the Janus Program,” said Maj. Gen. David W. Gardner, Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and Fort Campbell. “This initiative delivers resilient, 24/7 power directly to our installation, ensuring critical operations remain secure and uninterrupted as we respond to the nation’s needs.”
The advanced nuclear technology utilizes TRi-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) fuel, widely recognized as one of the most robust and meltdown-resistant nuclear fuels on Earth. The reactor is designed with inherent safety features, meaning it relies on the laws of physics rather than operator action or external power to automatically cool and shut down safely in the event of an emergency.
Fort Campbell is committed to maintaining transparency with municipal, county, and state leaders across the Kentucky-Tennessee border. Local communities will continue to have opportunities to engage, ask questions, and provide feedback as environmental assessments under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and independent military regulatory processes proceed.
