New Nuclear Reactor Planned For Southern Indiana Base

The Department of War (formerly known as the Department of Defense) is moving forward with plans to install a Micro Modular Reactor, or MMR, at Naval Weapons Station Crane in southern Indiana. If everything goes according to schedule, the reactor should be up and running by September 2028. This announcement is huge, as it will be Indiana's very first advanced nuclear reactor of any kind.

Why A Military Base Needs Its Own Power

So why put a nuclear reactor on a naval base? Officials say it comes down to reliability. Right now, military installations like Crane depend on the commercial electric grid for power, which means they're vulnerable to the same outages, disruptions, or attacks that could affect any civilian utility. A dedicated MMR would let the base generate its own power independent of that grid, which is a pretty significant upgrade for national security purposes.

Who Is Behind The Project

This project is a collaboration between several major players, including the Army's "Janus Program," the Navy, the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, and the State of Indiana itself. One interesting point that is worth noting is that the reactor won't actually be owned by the government – it'll be privately owned and operated, even though it's sitting on a military installation.

ALSO READ: Why Does the U.S. Navy Have a Massive Forest in So. Indiana?

Indiana Governor Mike Braun seems pretty enthusiastic about the state's new role in the nuclear conversation. "This will be the first one in any navy facility," he said, adding that it puts Indiana "in a great shape to be on the leading edge of how we produce electricity safely - no greenhouse gases associated with it."

What Still Has To Happen First

Of course, none of this is finalized just yet. The project still has to clear safety, environmental, and regulatory reviews before construction can move forward — standard hurdles for any nuclear facility, but ones that could still shape the timeline.

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Still, if Crane's MMR comes online as planned, Indiana will find itself in the unique position of being home to a cutting-edge nuclear project that's being watched as a potential blueprint for military bases nationwide.