The Department of Defense is moving the next generation of nuclear reactors from California to Utah
NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
The Department of Defense on Sunday transported a next-generation nuclear reactor aboard a C-17 from California to Utah, furthering President Donald Trump’s order to modernize America’s nuclear power infrastructure and strengthen America’s national security.
The reactor was flown from March Air Reserve Base in California to Hill Air Force Base in Utah and is expected to be transported to the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab in Orangeville for testing and testing – an important step in testing how advanced nuclear systems can support military installations and remote defense operations.
The Department of Defense shared images on X showing the reactor being loaded onto a C-17 aircraft.
“We are advancing President Trump’s executive order on nuclear power,” the text read. “Some time from now, we will be flying the next generation nuclear reactor.”
TRUMP ADMIN GETS $1B IN HUGE NUCLEAR REACTOR RESTART IN COUNTRY’S HISTORIC MELTDOWN
The Department of Defense said the successful delivery and installation of the reactor will open up new opportunities for strength and strategic independence for the nation’s defense, highlighting what officials described as a streamlined, innovative and commercial-first approach to addressing critical infrastructure challenges.
“By harnessing the power of advanced nuclear technology, we are not only enhancing our national security but fighting for the future of American energy dominance,” the agency said in a press release. “This event is a testament to the ingenuity of the American spirit and an important step forward in ensuring the freedom and strength of our nation for generations to come.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Defense for further comment.
THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR PLAN COMES WITH $1B IN FEDERAL BACKING TO MEET GROWING ENERGY NEEDS.
The Department of Defense has flown a next-generation nuclear reactor to Utah, furthering President Trump’s campaign to modernize the US military and strengthen national security. (US Department of the Army X)
In May, President Donald Trump signed several executive orders aimed at expanding the development of nuclear power. At the time, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said that the United States led the postwar world in all nuclear matters “to the point of shaking” and “stifling it with excessive regulation.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth added that the US “will keep the lights on and the AI going when others are not because of our nuclear capabilities.”
One of Trump’s nuclear orders calls for reforming the Department of Energy’s research and development, speeding up reactor testing at national laboratories and establishing a test program for new construction.
SECRETARY OF ENERGY OUTLINES HOW NUCLEAR TESTING WILL WORK
Nuclear power, the White House said in the order, “is needed to power next-generation technologies that protect our industrial, digital, and global economic dominance, achieve energy independence, and protect our national security.”
The effort to increase nuclear power is part of a broader management plan to strengthen domestic energy production and grid reliability across multiple sectors.
Days later, Trump signed another executive order directing the Department of Defense to work directly with coal-fired power plants on new long-term power purchase agreements, saying the move would ensure “more reliable energy and a stronger and more resilient power grid.”
The order, “Strengthening the National Defense of the United States with a Better America’s Clean Electric Power Fleet,” states, “The United States must ensure that our electric grid … remains robust and reliable, and does not depend on intermittent energy sources,” calling the grid “the foundation of our national security and our economic stability.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
“It is the policy of the United States that coal is essential to national security and the economy,” the order added.
Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
