Nuclear energy has a long history of supporting the United States military—it has been powering our Navy for over sixty years, and new innovations are poised to continue this legacy, including mobile reactor technology that can help fuel our troops on the ground.
In 2016, the Defense Science Board released a study on energy systems for forward remote operating bases, concluding that intermittent energy sources are unlikely to meet current or future energy demands and that “the U.S. military could become the beneficiaries of reliable, abundant, and continuous energy through the deployment of nuclear energy power systems.”
The Department of Defense (DoD) uses approximately 30 terawatt-hours of electricity per year and more than 10 million gallons of fuel per day, levels which are only expected to increase as the military requires more energy-intensive capabilities.
A small transportable nuclear energy source would address this growing demand, provide carbon-free electricity and support mission-critical operations in multiple environments.
Thus, Project Pele was born.
Advanced nuclear designs provide a wide range of new applications—such as making power portable—and Project Pele is a program exploring the deployment of mobile nuclear reactors.
These reactors—capable of moving alongside forces—would reduce stress on supply chains, allowing military personnel to perform with a reliable power supply. This energy resilience would help protect our troops and enable important military operations, all while replacing carbon-emitting sources and protecting our climate.
Mobile reactors can utilize High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) Tristructural Isotropic (TRISO) fuel. TRISO fuel has undergone rigorous testing by the Department of Energy and is an inherently safe fuel technology that cannot melt and can withstand external attacks.
“Advanced nuclear power has the potential to be a strategic game-changer for the United States, both for the DoD and for the commercial sector,” said Dr. Jeff Waksman, Project Pele program manager.
DoD announced in April it is performing the demonstration of the technology at the Idaho National Lab (INL). Both BWXT and X-energy designs are up for consideration to be selected to build a prototype reactor during a 24-month construction and demonstration phase.
Other companies such as Westinghouse and Radiant Nuclear are creating mobile power sources that can deliver over 1 MW of electricity, which could power over 1,000 homes and operate for up to 8 years. This technology and the ability to create microgrids can provide electricity and heat to remote communities, disaster areas and bases.
Project Pele isn’t the only advanced nuclear technology being considered by the military. Right now, DoD has several demonstration projects underway involving advanced nuclear technologies. The Pentagon, with support from Congress, is considering the use of microreactors to power domestic bases with an always-on, carbon-free source of power that is independent from the electric grid. In addition to the mobile designs, DoD could select other commercial microreactor designs for stationary power supply from companies such as Oklo and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation.
“The DoD has a long history of driving American innovation, with nuclear power being one of many prominent examples,” said Mr. Jay Dryer, DoD’s Strategic Capabilities Office director. “Project Pele is an exciting opportunity to advance energy resilience and reduce carbon emissions while also helping to shape safety and nonproliferation standards for advanced reactors around the world.”
