By Troy Turner
Alabama’s entire delegation joined forces in a bipartisan letter sent today to Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll with a pitch for Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville to host the Army’s next-generation nuclear power Janus Program.
Redstone Arsenal’s growing demand for electrical power will continue to increase at a significant pace while serving as home to numerous government and military entities, the letter said, including NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, FBI-Huntsville, the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command, and soon the U.S. Space Command Headquarters.
The advent of directed-energy weapons using lasers and microwave technology, along with artificial intelligence, quantum computing, quieter electric vehicles, enhanced sensor technology and comprehensive command-and-control units almost all have a heavy reliance on electrical power, which has become a hot commodity for the military in competition with commercial and residential demands.
The Army, in response, is looking at the Janus Program as an avenue to provide solutions.
The program “aims to deliver secure, resilient and reliable energy to support national defense installations and critical missions,” the Army reported.
U.S. Army Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade emplace a Patriot radar system under night conditions. The Janus Program, the Army’s next-generation nuclear power program, aims to deliver secure, resilient, and reliable energy to support national defense installations and critical missions. (U.S. Army)
The list of nine
Last week the Army announced it is looking for pilot sites after it selected nine installations for consideration in which to locate microreactor power plants.
The program, in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit, will build commercial microreactors through a milestone-based contracting model “to accelerate delivery of advanced energy solutions to the warfighters.”
Hinting that it “is committed to maximizing the number of sites based on technical feasibility, site suitability and available resources,” the Army initially is looking at the following nine locations:
- Fort Benning, Ga.
- Fort Bragg, N.C.
- Fort Campbell, Ky.
- Fort Drum, N.Y.
- Fort Hood, Texas
- Fort Wainwright, Alaska
- Holston Army Ammunition Plant, Tenn.
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wa.
- Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
“These early site selections align with the Department of War’s goal of accelerating the pace of deploying on-site nuclear generation at our installations,” said Jordan Gillis, assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment.
Microreactor power plants represent a significant technological advancement, in safety, security and waste management, an Army statement said. “They are safe by design, not by intervention protocols. The Janus Program is leveraging the Department of Energy and its network of National Labs to ensure the appropriate expertise is applied to the evaluation of proposed designs, operational plans and emergency preparedness plans.”
Alabama makes its case
Congressman Dale Strong, who represents the Huntsville area, led Alabama’s delegation in a quick response to the Army’s announcement, as there is statewide interest in having another major power source independent of the commercial grid.
Rep. Dale Strong, shown speaking at The White House during President Trump’s press conference to announce the move of U.S. Space Command headquarters from Colorado Springs to Huntsville. (Screenshot/AlaDefense.com)
Additionally, the Janus project also will no doubt provide an economic impact to its host sites, as Department of Energy, military and other experts and their families will be required to build out and operate the program.
“We write today to express our strong support for selecting Redstone Arsenal (RSA), Alabama, as one of the three sites to support the U.S. Army’s Project Janus Micro-Reactor pilot program,” the delegation’s letter began. “RSA’s mission-critical tenants currently require 75 MW of power. This demand is expected to double by 2030.
“The substantial and growing power requirement, combined with the installation’s existing infrastructure and local expertise, makes RSA the ideal candidate for deploying a Microreactor Power Plant.”
Redstone is home to 65 tenant units across the federal government and a workforce of almost 46,000 personnel, it said. Selecting Redstone as a site for Project Janus “would benefit not only the U.S. Army, but also the Joint Force and interagency partners including NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, FBI Redstone, and U.S. Space Command.
“The installation’s core mission areas include space operations and missile defense, RDT&E, intelligence, and homeland defense, which are among the nation’s most critical, making the energy resilience provided by the MPP essential for uninterrupted operations.”
Redstone’s infrastructure provides the security and logistics needed for micro-reactor deployment, the letter said. “The installation spans 38,000 acres, including 14,700 developable acres, ensuring proper security and standoff distance for a Project Janus site. It also offers secure access to land, rail, air and water transportation, which will be essential for moving necessary materials, personnel and spent fuel.”
The letter also highlights Alabama’s university and community college systems, affordable cost-of-living factors, and “a strong history of supporting U.S. Army and nuclear energy initiatives, dating back to the nation’s first space and missile defense programs and the Manhattan Project.”
“We, as a bipartisan delegation, are prepared to support policies and funding that will ensure Project Janus’ success for years to come,” the letter concluded. “Please consider this letter a strong endorsement of Redstone Arsenal’s selection as a Project Janus site.”
Signatures, in addition to Strong, included Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, and Reps. Mike Rogers, Terri Sewell, Shomari Figures, Gary Palmer, Barry Moore and Robert Aderholt.
“North Alabama is ready to support this pilot program,” Strong said in a separate statement, “and I will continue working to ensure Redstone remains at the top of the list.”
Troy Turner is the editor and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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