"The Pentagon and the Energy Department for the first time airlifted a small nuclear reactor from California to Utah, demonstrating what they say is U.S. potential to quickly deploy nuclear power for military and civilian use. The nearly 700-mile flight last weekend — which transported a 5-megawatt microreactor without nuclear fuel — highlights the Trump administration's drive to promote nuclear energy to help meet skyrocketing demand for power from artificial intelligence and data centers, as well for use by the military."
"Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Undersecretary of Defense Michael Duffey, who traveled with the privately built reactor, hailed the Feb. 15 trip on a C-17 military aircraft as a breakthrough for U.S. efforts to fast-track commercial licensing for the microreactors, part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reshape the country's energy landscape. A new emphasis on nuclear energy President Donald Trump supports nuclear power — a carbon-free source of electricity — as a reliable energy source."
The Pentagon and the Energy Department airlifted a minivan-sized, 5-megawatt microreactor without nuclear fuel about 700 miles from March Air Reserve Base, California, to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, on Feb. 15 using a C-17 military plane. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Undersecretary of Defense Michael Duffey traveled with the privately built reactor and called the flight a breakthrough for fast-tracking commercial licensing of microreactors. The move aligns with the Trump administration's push to expand nuclear power for military use and to meet growing electricity demand from artificial intelligence and data centers. Skeptics raised safety, feasibility and cost concerns. Trump signed executive orders granting the Energy Secretary authority to approve some advanced reactor designs, shifting power away from the independent nuclear safety regulator.
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