'Next-generation' nuclear reactor airlifted across three US states after Trump's executive order
Topics: Utah, California, Science, Politics, US News
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Nathan Howard
Topics: Utah, California, Science, Politics, US News
A nuclear reactor has been transported some 700 miles across the country from California to Utah as part of the president's plans to make nuclear energy available across the US.
A Valar Atomics Ward 250 nuclear reactor was transported from the March Air Reserve Base to the Hill Air Force Base on Sunday (February 15).
This is part of the Department of Energy's Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program, and the reactor should be able to power up to 5,000 homes or ensure reliable and secure energy for a military base.
The reactor (which is capable of 5 megawatts) is around the size of a large truck and was transported between states via a C-17 transport plane, says The Independent.
Advert
Following its arrival in Utah the reactor will be sent to an energy lab in the state for evaluation and testing, with operations starting at 100 kilowatts in July, Reuters reports.
The reactor's arrival comes after Trump signed four executive orders in May 2025 that directed the DOE to take a leading role in 'the American nuclear renaissance'.
The program's overview reads, per the DOE website: "The Reactor Pilot Program establishes a new DOE pathway for advanced reactor demonstration to fast-track commercial licensing.
"The program aims to leverage DOE’s authority to expedite the research and development of advanced nuclear reactor technologies with the larger goal of reaching criticality for at least three advanced nuclear reactor concepts located outside of the national laboratories by July 4, 2026."
According to the World Nuclear Association, there are currently 94 operable nuclear reactors in the America that are capable of generating around 20 percent of the country's energy.
There are a handful of advantages of using nuclear energy, says the DOE; one being that it's a 'clean' energy source. Unlike fossil fuel-powered plants, nuclear reactors do not emit carbon emissions.
The agency says that nuclear power is responsible for 775 billion kilowatthours of electricity each year in the US, giving 'nearly half of the nation’s emissions-free electricity'.
Nuclear energy can also supposedly provide national security as it's reliable and can provide 24/7 power supply.
"A strong civilian nuclear sector is essential to US national security and energy diplomacy," states the DOE. "The United States must maintain its global leadership in this arena to influence the peaceful use of nuclear technologies."
The biggest downside to nuclear power is the radioactive waste is produces which lasts for thousands of years and can be dangerous to humans and animals.