The US Department of War (DoW) has revealed plans to install an advanced nuclear Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) at the Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Crane in Indiana.
The planned installation, which will be the first of its kind in Indiana, is expected to be completed no later than September 2028.
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The project is the result of a collaborative effort involving the US Army’s Janus Program, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment, the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)), and the State of Indiana.
According to the department, the deployment at NWS Crane is intended to ensure the installation has a continuous, reliable power supply independent of the commercial electricity grid.
The department said the initiative implements executive orders signed by President Donald J. Trump designed to accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies, strengthen the domestic nuclear industrial base, and restore American nuclear leadership globally.
These directives also sought to remove regulatory barriers and bolster the US nuclear workforce.
The planned MMR will represent Indiana’s first power-producing nuclear reactor and is expected to increase US power generation capacity while modernising energy infrastructure critical to both national security and local communities.
The project forms part of a broader departmental effort to incorporate nuclear energy across military installations, aiming to “deploy safe and secure nuclear power for national security,” the DoW said.
The Janus Program, which is leading the installation, is tasked with delivering energy solutions to defence sites, working across services and government departments.
The reactor will be commercially owned and operated, and its location at NWS Crane was selected due to the site’s importance as a military technology and weapons development centre.
US Navy Energy, Installations and Environment assistant secretary Brendan Rogers said: “Hosting the US Navy’s first shore-based advanced microreactor at NWS Crane under the Janus Program underscores our commitment to hardening our shore infrastructure against evolving physical, cyber, and grid vulnerabilities.
“Partnering with the Army and OASW(CT) allows us to move with speed, establish a resilient firm power backbone, and protect the vital research, development, and manufacturing our Fleet depends on every day.”
