The **Janus Program** is a U.S. Army program to deploy **micro nuclear reactors** on selected Army bases to provide resilient, assured, 24/7 power independent of vulnerable civilian grids - world-nuclear-news.org 
Page type: science
The Janus Program will build on lessons learned from Project Pele, a transportable nuclear reactor for electricity production.. Project Pele aims to develop a reactor that can be transported in a set of standard shipping containers (Image: BWXT)
Announced in October 2025, Janus builds directly on **Project Pele**, the Department of Defense’s transportable microreactor demonstration at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) - army.mil
# What it is
Janus aims to field **small, transportable reactors (<20 MWe each)** owned and operated by commercial partners but sited on military installations. The goal is to harden bases against blackouts from extreme weather or cyberattacks and to support growing loads from sensors, radars, directed-energy systems, and electrified logistics. Early reporting describes an initial tranche of bases and a cadence to begin supplying power before the decade’s end - wsj.com - defensenews.com
# Where it comes from
Janus **leverages technology, licensing groundwork, and operating concepts** from Project Pele, the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) demonstration of a 1–5 MWe, high-temperature gas microreactor packaged in standard shipping containers for over-the-road transport and testing at INL’s Critical Infrastructure Test Range Complex. Pele broke ground in 2024; core manufacturing and TRISO fuel production milestones were reported in 2025, with first electricity targeted in the 2026–2028 window - energy.gov - bwxt.com - world-nuclear-news.org - cto.mil - ans.org
# How it works
Microreactors under Janus are designed to be **factory-built, rapidly deployable, and passively safe**. Packaged systems arrive by truck or ship, connect to a dedicated microgrid, and can run for years without refuelling thanks to advanced fuels (e.g., TRISO). The **own-and-operate** model brings commercial accountability while DoD provides siting, security, and mission integration. Lessons from Pele’s environmental reviews, transport envelopes, and test-site preparations shorten Janus’s path to real power on real bases - cto.mil - inl.gov
# Why it matters
For military energy security, Janus **closes a gap that renewables plus diesel cannot always cover**: long-duration, high-reliability power when fuel supply lines are stressed or the grid is down. For industry and regulators, it creates a **first market** for commercial microreactors with clear requirements, helping prove cost, safety, and operations that can later transfer to remote communities, data-center campuses, disaster relief, and Antarctic or lunar analog sites - ans.org - defensenews.com