US Air Force launches study of meltdown-proof nuclear microreactor

The US Air Force, through its innovation arm AFWERX, has awarded Nano Nuclear Energy a $1.25 million Direct to Phase II contract to study the deployment feasibility of its Kronos micro modular nuclear reactor at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) in Washington, D.C. This project involves assessing JBAB’s energy demands, grid vulnerabilities, environmental impact, siting options, and regulatory considerations for integrating a nuclear microreactor into a dense urban military installation. The collaboration with the 11th Civil Engineering Squadron aims to enhance the Air Force’s energy resilience and advance next-generation nuclear solutions for defense applications. Nano Nuclear Energy’s Kronos microreactor is a stationary, high-temperature gas-cooled system designed to deliver 15 MW electric (45 MW thermal) of carbon-free power. It uses meltdown-resistant TRISO fuel and passive helium cooling to ensure automatic safe shutdown without human intervention or external power. The reactor includes molten salt thermal storage to flexibly generate electricity and