Just as America’s energy companies are turning to nuclear to meet rising energy demand, the U.S. military also is weighing that option.

The U.S. Air Force has put in place a strategy to reduce electricity demand, increase supply and “make energy a consideration in everything it does,” said Kevin Billings, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for environment, safety and occupational health.

Sens. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) and Larry Craig (R-Idaho) requested that the Air Force consider nuclear energy as part of its broader energy initiative, which includes measures to increase efficiency and reduce its reliance on jet fuel by creating synthetic fuel from coal or natural gas.

“We thought it was a pretty neat idea,” Billings said. “There are no greenhouse gas emissions when we consider nuclear. We are very cognizant of the Air Force’s carbon footprint. [Nuclear power] provides clean, efficient energy for the United States, and it’s part of the mix that we need to move forward with.”

The Air Force will conduct feasibility studies to determine which base’s mission, land and surrounding community would be most compatible with a potential nuclear plant, Billings said.

The Air Force is seeking to sign a letter of intent with a company or consortium of companies by the end of this year to build a nuclear plant at the chosen base, Billings said. The size of the plant will be determined by the electrical needs of the base, as well as the business case of the plant owner. Although the Air Force does not intend to provide financing for the project, it would consider entering an agreement with the company to purchase electricity from the plant for the base.

Having a “self-contained energy source” at a base would help ensure electricity supply and security, Billings said. An interested company would have to provide a thorough outline of how it would finance and build a nuclear plant and what reactor design it would employ, as well as how the reactor would interconnect with the electricity grid. The Air Force plans to meet with interested parties in March to continue charting a path forward.

“What we want to be is a catalyst for private industry to move forward in all of the energy arenas and to potentially use our bases,” Billings said. “Nuclear clearly is one component of that.”