Hill Air Force Base (HAFB) is being considered as a potential location for a groundbreaking energy project: a portable nuclear reactor. The project, spearheaded by Radiant Nuclear, could see the base utilising a small modular reactor as early as 2028. This development is part of a broader effort to enhance the resilience of military installations and meet ambitious carbon-free energy goals.
Micro-reactors, which are small modular nuclear reactors, are designed to produce clean energy. These reactors are equipped with built-in safety features that self-regulate to prevent overheating, ensuring safe and reliable operation. They can operate independently from the commercial power grid, offering a vital source of power for remote military installations and critical national security infrastructure.
Radiant Nuclear, based in El Segundo, California, is at the forefront of this technology. The company’s CEO, Doug Bernauer, brings a unique perspective to this sector, having spent 12 years working on special projects for Elon Musk at SpaceX. Bernauer left SpaceX to form Radiant, driven by the goal of building a nuclear reactor “on time and on budget”. Radiant’s design, known as Kaleidos, is a 1.2-megawatt reactor that is small enough to be delivered by truck or a C-17 aircraft. The system is designed for a five-year operational cycle, after which it is removed. Radiant plans to test their technology at the Idaho National Laboratory in 2026. Radiant has received political support from Utah and the military.
The project at Hill Air Force Base began with a feasibility study in March 2023. Nick King, the base’s energy manager, played a key role in initiating the project after raising the possibility in meetings with the Pentagon. The primary goal is to provide backup power generation. Radiant conducted a thorough study, converting the entire base into a computer-based model. This model allowed them to conduct a resilience study to show how the base could maintain power to critical facilities while cutting off non-essential loads. This could greatly improve the base’s ability to recover from a major outage. HAFB even intentionally cut incoming commercial power for 10 hours to “identify backup power capability gaps,” and the Radiant study helped enhance the base’s ability to plan and simulate this exercise. The project aligns with an executive order requiring 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2030.
This is not the only micro-reactor initiative within the Air Force. The Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska is also piloting a micro-reactor program. Oklo Inc. was awarded a contract to build a micro-reactor at Eielson, with a target operational date of 2027. This program is a partnership with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy Office. The U.S. Air Force is also partnering with key regulatory authorities to ensure the pilot is executed safely.
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