US advances mobile microreactor program with four companies completing initial deployment phase

The White House announced on July 24, 2026 that four companies successfully completed the initial phase of the Department of Energy’s mobile microreactor development program. The Office of Nuclear Energy leads the initiative, which aims to deliver independent power generation for military installations, remote areas, and disaster zones without reliance on conventional electrical grids. The program set a milestone requiring at least three reactors to achieve safe operational status by Independence Day 2026, a target all participating companies met within the established timeline.

The microreactors employ plug-and-play architecture, manufactured in industrial facilities and transported ready for immediate installation without extensive on-site construction. The units are designed for truck transport, enabling rapid deployment to locations lacking grid infrastructure. Energy Secretary Chris Wright credited President Donald Trump with restoring American leadership in nuclear energy development, framing the technological advancement within the administration’s broader energy policy objectives.

Specific technical demonstrations have begun materializing the program’s operational concept. In February 2026, the Department of Energy and Department of Defense conducted the first airborne transfer of a small nuclear reactor, moving a Valar Atomics unit via C-17 military aircraft from March Air Force Base in California to Hill Air Force Base in Utah. The Ward model, approximately the size of a minivan, was transported without fuel and carries a rated capacity of 5 megawatts. Initial operations scheduled for July will begin at 100 kilowatts before scaling to 250 kilowatts and eventually full capacity.

Two microreactors entered testing protocols at Idaho National Laboratory in July 2026. Westinghouse’s eVinci unit generates 5 megawatts while Radiant’s Kaleidos produces 1.2 megawatts. The Department of Energy designated these experiments as the first of their kind globally, with fuel-based testing scheduled for autumn 2026 running up to six months. Intended applications include powering remote data centers and replacing diesel generators in field conditions.

The government has not disclosed development costs, testing locations, licensing timelines, or the identities of the four phase-one contractors. The program advances amid the Trump administration’s broader nuclear expansion strategy, which includes resumed weapons testing after a 30-year moratorium and negotiations with states including Utah on radioactive waste reprocessing facilities.