Fort Drum selected for Army microreactor program

Fort Drum has been selected as one of five military installations for the U.S. Army’s Janus microreactor program, which is intended to provide an additional energy source for military bases.

The microreactors are planned to generate less than 20 megawatts of electricity and occupy less than five acres each. Westinghouse Government Services would own and operate them through a public-private partnership, with oversight from the Army and federal regulators. The program has five years of funding, with a goal of having at least one reactor operating by Sept. 30, 2028.

Fort Drum officials said the base will keep North Country residents informed during planning, construction and operation. The research material also states that U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer supported Fort Drum’s selection from a shortlist of nine installations, while Assemblyman Scott Gray called the decision significant for the base, the region and New York state.