U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll announced plans to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) on Guam and other facilities in the Indo-Pacific region. According to him, the installations are expected to be operational at bases no later than 2028. The main goal of the project, called Janus, is to provide fully autonomous power supply for remote garrisons, where civilian grids are chronically overloaded and unreliable. The issue of electricity shortages is particularly acute in island territories such as Guam, which serves as a key hub for U.S. forces in the region. Defense experts openly state that the deployment of SMRs is aimed at preparing for a potential confrontation with China. As Beijing expands not only its nuclear arsenal but also its long-range strike capabilities to disrupt traditional maritime supply routes, the dependence of bases on diesel fuel deliveries is becoming a critical vulnerability. Pentagon analysts have repeatedly noted that, in the event of a conflict, communication lines to Guam would come under direct threat from the missile forces of the People’s Liberation Army. Under such conditions, only compact nuclear installations capable of operating for several years without refueling and without the need for constant fuel deliveries can ensure the uninterrupted functioning of radars, communications systems, and other infrastructure in isolation. In May 2025, a presidential order set a deadline to launch the first such reactor at a military site by September 30, 2028. As early as October, the U.S. Army officially began implementing the Janus program, which involves adapting civilian SMR technologies for military needs. Local lawmakers in Guam and environmental groups point to another concern: they argue that storing nuclear fuel on an island within range of Chinese missiles is too dangerous, and that in the event of a military conflict, it could inevitably lead to large-scale radioactive contamination of the territory.
https://neutronbytes.com/2025/10/19/army-goes-nuclear-microreactors-set-for-us-bases-by-2028/
How are they going to doploy a reactor if they can’t even deploy food for their troops?
This would be a great way to prove their use. The US Navy has had zero radiological incidents in its entire history. Other parts of the Navy have significant management issues, but whatever they’re doing to maintain the culture in the nuclear program is clearly working.
It’s a combination of conservative designs, robust training, and a zero tolerance safety stance where even minor misses that have any relationship to the reactor or power systems get throughly investigated through a formal process that seeks to understand and learn from mistakes rather than assign blame.
If anyone is curious, the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP) publishes the Gray Book with some history of the Program, the various arms that are involved to make it successful, and how the Program is managed including training, suppliers, labs, and fleet operations and maintenance.
Turn the Ship Around is a leadership book that also touches on safety and operations of a nuclear sub and is just a good read overall if your looking for a different way to think about bringing a leader in an organization.
The time the Army tried this under Greenland without anyone’s knowledge didn’t turn out great, but at least nothing exploded.
They did manage to leave a crap ton of Nuclear waste under the ice where it would “probably be fine”. Which is now melting, which was nice of them.
Not saying more modern designs / operational plans couldn’t be great but their track record isn’t not concerning.
Plus if/when these catch on more, you’re going to have all kinds of organizations both public and private needing to dispose of radioactive chemical waste with a half life of 25,000 years. I may be a cynic, but I have zero faith that any public or private organization is going to properly account for that and it will be us, the public, who will suffer the consequences both in funding the cleanup as well as the health effects of having it dumped in our backyard by some fly by night company that ‘closes’ right before the lawsuits start and then reopens under a new name.
Not sure if you’ve followed it, but there is a somewhat similar project in Wyoming by TerraPower - Source
I believe it counts as an smr and is breaking ground this year (if not already).
For now? There’s always a 100% success rate until there’s not. But also, I know nothing about thus topic. I’m just a pessimist in this world.
There’s also a 100% failure rate until there’s not, that doesn’t mean anything except that nothing happens until it happens.
Can’t help but wonder if they will intentionally cause some kind of meltdown or other danger so they can keep pushing anti nuclear propaganda
I hope I’m being dramatic but at the same time I don’t think that would even be in the top 10 inside jobs of the last 20 years
Jesus Christ, you’re not supposed to eat the tinfoil you know
Fair enough lol. Sometimes I get a little too imaginative for my own good
XD
If I wanted to make anti nuclear propaganda,I would pay a small sum to an ‘advertising company’ to astroturf social media. I certainly would not build a bunch of nuclear reactors, do a false flag, then pay for an advertising campaign
Can’t wait to see what Donnie Deals plans to unleash on our satraps, given the grab bag of Tech Creeps and startup scammers involved.
Curious to know what the cost per kwh is going to be for these things.
“Putin called me. He says we need to remove the control rods. ‘Remove them all!’ he said, and we’re going too because that Putin’s a smart guy. Chernobyl would have never happened with him running the place… I love that Putin. Good man, one of the best…”
If you haven’t already go back and read it in his voice.
Impossible not to read that in his voice
They better make them very secure then, because if those get blown up the troops will face a totally new category of problems.
The troops? Who gives a shit about the troops, what about the people living in the region?
yesss, get as many reactors within Shathead range as possible
Don’t pull out the control rod too far, lest ye become a ceiling decoration.
