The USAF wants to install a nuclear microreactor at the Eielson base in Alaska

The U.S. Air Force, in partnership with the Defense Energy Logistics Agency, released a request for proposal (RFP) for the installation of a nuclear microreactor at Eielson Air Force Base.

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This is an important first step toward developing the next-generation energy technology needed for energy resilience at Eielson Air Force Base and to inform future initiatives to power the U.S. security infrastructure.

Micro-reactors are small nuclear reactors that can produce clean energy and are equipped with built-in safety features that self-adjust to changing conditions and demands to prevent overheating. The technology’s ability to operate independently from the commercial grid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions make micro-reactors a promising power source for remote domestic military installations critical to the national security infrastructure.

The RFP issued specifies a proposal for the construction, provision, testing, operation, management, maintenance, and eventual removal of a nuclear micro-reactor energy production facility (EPF), and for the delivery of electricity and steam to the respective interconnection points, ancillary services, and all associated environmental attributes produced by the EPF to be located on Eielson AFB.

The Government will purchase the energy output from the solution only, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and mass per pounds (Mlbs), via a long-term contract under a firm-fixed price.

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“The release of the RFP for the Eielson AFB micro-reactor is a critical next step in furthering the development and deployment of reliable and clean energy technology at Department of the Air Force installations,” said Ms. Nancy Balkus, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Environment, Safety and Infrastructure. “This program is extremely important to mission assurance and sustainment in the face of climate change and continued national defense threats, and demonstrates the department’s commitment to ensuring our installations have a safe, reliable supply of energy, no matter their location.”

The Micro-Reactor Pilot Program was initiated in response to the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act requirement to construct and operate a micro-reactor by the end of 2027.