Thread: Portable Nuclear Reactors : U.S. Department of Defense to investigate their possible use at remote facilities!

The U.S. military is planning to develop "microreactors" powered by uranium to minimize reliance on unstable local energy grids, or the high cost of fuel for generators, at remote locations*. The U.S. DOD currently uses about 10 million gallons of fuel per day, and produces about 30 terrawatt-hours of electricity per year for their global operations.

Quoting from the article*:

"Two mobile microreactor designs are being considered, but the department said detailed descriptions are unavailable as both are in early stages of development. The department said both designs are high-temperature gas-cooled reactors using enriched uranium for fuel.

The type of enriched uranium to be used can withstand high temperatures, “allowing for a reactor design that relies primarily on simple passive features and inherent physics to ensure safety,” the draft environmental impact statement states." "

end quote

Technically these microreactors, generating 1 to 5 megawatts, are "green" sources of power, or at least that is how some would classify them. As long as they do not result in radioactive leaks during transport and operation, this might be an accurate description. In the absence of any nasty leaks, they certainly have an edge over burning a lot of hydrocarbon fuel, and would likely be more reliable than many local sources of electricity.

At least they are not building more nuclear weapons (hopefully). One should think there are enough of those already.


"US military eyes prototype mobile nuclear reactor in Idaho"

* https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden...aa0c4031deb31b