Published Jun 6, 2026, 3:00 AM EDT
New Mobile Nuclear Reactors Could Help Military Bases Survive 2 Weeks Without Power
Nuclear Power could be the key to military base survival.
U.S. Air Force airmen and civilian contractors prepare a containerized nuclear power reactor for airlift aboard a C-17 Globemaster III at March Air Reserve Base, California, Feb. 13, 2026. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Monique Bright)
As the U.S. military looks for ways to keep bases powered during outages, attacks or fuel disruptions, one nuclear energy executive says small reactors could eventually help solve a problem that diesel reserves alone may not be able to answer. James Walker, a nuclear physicist and CEO of NANO Nuclear Energy, told Military.com that military installations are expected to operate independently of the electrical grid for roughly two weeks, but many bases cannot realistically meet that requirement without enormous fuel stores. “Military bases at the moment have a mandate to be able to be self-sufficient for power for about two weeks,” Walker said. “At the moment, none of them can meet that mandate because it requires an enormous reserve of diesel, effectively if you are taken off the grid.” Walker’s comments come as the Navy is reportedly preparing to test whether the USS Gerald R. Ford’s nuclear reactors can supply electricity directly to shore infrastructure, a move that has drawn attention to a larger question facing the Pentagon: how to power military operations when traditional energy supply lines are under pressure.
