A nuclear microreactor could be installed at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora as part of a push across the Air Force and the Army to increase energy resilience. 

Across the country, other customers and utilities are also looking to nuclear energy to power the data centers needed for artificial intelligence. Colorado Springs Utilities is among those exploring nuclear energy as an option.

Older nuclear power plants produce about 20% of the nation’s power, and they take a long time to build and a lot of money to finance.

Microreactors, also known as modular reactors, present a far more affordable option.

There are two operating modular nuclear reactors in the world, one in China and one in Russia. Across the U.S., one modular nuclear reactor is under construction in Oak Ridge, Tenn., according to the World Nuclear Association. About 20 more are in the pre-investment stages in the U.S. 

Earlier this month, the Air Force and the Defense Innovation Unit announced they had selected Buckley and Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana as potential sites for nuclear reactors in part because of their land availability and utility infrastructure. 

The Air Force said in response to questions that microreactors are attractive, in part, because they can operate independently from the commercial grid. 

“Their small footprint and modular, offsite manufacturing make them a promising solution for critical military installations vulnerable to power disruptions,” the statement said. 

In addition to the military, Colorado Springs Utilities is also exploring nuclear energy and has been selected to work with national laboratory experts to “evaluate advanced nuclear technologies and hybrid energy systems that support grid resilience, clean energy integration, and long-term reliability,” spokeswoman Danielle Nieves said.  The work is slated to begin next month.

A microreactor or modular reactor has three main qualities. All the components can be assembled in a factory, it can be transported on a truck, railcar or ship, and it has a passive safety system that shuts down to prevent overheating or reactor meltdown, according to the Department of Energy.  

While many people associate nuclear power with disasters, such as the accident at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine that released radioactive material into the environment, those incidents are not reflective of the industry.

Nuclear power is safer than other forms of energy, said Billy Nollet, professor of physics and engineering at Fort Lewis College. More people die in the wind industry from accidents, such as falling off windmills, than in the nuclear power industry, he said. 

“Essentially nuclear power has a very long sturdy track record of safety,” Nollet said.

It’s potential has drawn immense interest with many start-ups jumping into the industry in the last 18 months, he said. 

But its promise faces challenges around scaling. The necessary supply chains don’t exist, many of the materials aren’t produced at industrial levels and there isn’t enough professional expertise available, Nollet said. 

Despite those challenges, the military is setting some aggressive timelines. 

Buckley’s new reactor could be in place by 2030 or sooner, the Air Force said in its new release. 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission could license the new reactor. Or initially the Department of Energy could regulate it, the Air Force statement said. 

The city of Aurora would not have any role in permitting, said Jennifer Soules, a spokeswoman for the city. 

Buckley’s power provider, Xcel Energy is aware of the proposed project and is looking forward to learning more as additional details become available in the coming weeks, the company said in a statement.

The Air Force is also working with a contractor to put in a micronuclear reactor at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska. While the Eielson reactor was billed as a pilot project, it is now on a concurrent timeline with the Buckley reactor and could be deployed by 2030 or sooner, according to news releases.

As new micronuclear reactors are rolled out nationally, Nollet said, it could be good to have experts in the field answer residents’ questions. 

A founding director of Colorado Citizens Against Toxic Waste, Jeri Fry does not believe the nuclear power energy rush can be stopped, but she is worried about new uranium mines, processing and waste. A Cañon City resident, Fry lives near 5.8 million tons of radioactive waste left behind by the Cotter Uranium Mill. She expects the site will be a permanent scar on the landscape, similar to a geologic formation.

Fry wants residents of future sites to be educated so they can ask questions and demand safety, from the entire cycle of developing nuclear energy through to radioactive waste. Nuclear waste is first stored in pools to allow it to cool and then in dry casks made of concrete and steel, according to the Department of Energy. A permanent waste solution has not been determined, according to the agency. 

“The backend of the nuclear fuel cycle is insidious,” Fry said.

She said she worries rushing into nuclear power could leave other communities with consequences similar to those in Cañon City, that will last long after current generations are gone.

 “Citizens need to understand the consequences of our electrical power,” Fry said.