Next-generation nuclear reactor to power up in Utah’s San Rafael Energy Lab

BY EPN Staff

A next-generation nuclear reactor was flown by plane from March Air Reserve Base near Los Angeles, Calif., to Hill Air Force Base, near Layton, Utah, marking a milestone for the Trump Administration’s ambitious policy to support innovations in clean, safe nuclear power generation. 

The reactor will be transported by truck to the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab for testing and evaluation. On July 4, it will begin generating power. 

“The American nuclear renaissance is to get that ball moving again, fast, carefully, but with private capital, American innovation and determination,” U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright said after the successful flight.” President Trump signed multiple executive orders that have unleashed tremendous reform of all the things that stopped the American nuclear industry from moving.”

Why it matters

The Ward250 made by Valar Atomics is small enough to fit into a military cargo plane but can produce 5 megawatts of electricity, the amount of energy needed to power roughly 5,000 homes. Designed for military and civilian use, the reactor can provide secure electrical power to military bases or for overseas operations, alleviating dependence on vulnerable civilian power grids. 

“Our military installations are reliant on a fragile civilian grid for the majority of our electricity.  In an era where enemy cyber-attacks and sabotage or extreme weather can take out the grid at any moment, failure to evolve our domestic energy infrastructure will be catastrophic,” Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey said at the event. “Today is a critical step toward a stronger future.”

Valar Atomics anticipates it will be able to commercialize its reactor beginning in 2027, according to Reuters. 

The bigger picture

Valar’s progress in creating a small modular reactor for military and civilian purposes is a milestone in the administration’s ongoing efforts to boost American nuclear energy through grants and deregulation. 

In 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued executive orders propel American nuclear energy: “Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base,” “Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy,” “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,” and “Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security.” These orders encourage the building of traditional nuclear reactors, the refurbishment of older reactors, the creation of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and domestic uranium production.  SMRs are smaller and less costly to construct than traditional nuclear reactors, and can be prefabricated, transported and assembled on-site.  

One of the DOE’s goals under the Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program is to have three advanced reactor designs generating energy by July 4. Valar Atomics was selected by the DOE to develop nuclear fuel lines and reactor technology. Valar is developing TRISO fuel, a low-enriched safe and efficient fuel, for its Ward250 reactor. 

While the U.S. has the highest number of commercially operating nuclear plants, most of them were constructed between 1970 and 1990. This carbon-free source of power, however, is getting a fresh boost thanks to rising energy demand, breakthroughs in design, and support from the Trump Administration.