US Microreactor Transported by Air

The Valar Atomics Ward250 microreactor – without its nuclear fuel – was loaded onto a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at the March Air Reserve Base in California on 15 February and flown to Hill Air Force Base in Utah.

The Ward 250 is a 5 MW high-temperature gas-cooled microreactor with helium coolant utilizing TRISO nuclear fuel. The Ward250 could provide power to about 5,000 homes. For military use, such a reactor could provide energy security on a military base ensuring the mission there need not depend on the civilian power grid, and in military operations overseas, such reactors would mean U.S. forces could operate without concern that an enemy might cut fuel supplies.

The microreactor transport operation was called Windlord and was aimed at demonstrating the potential to quickly deploy nuclear power for military and civilian use.

Later, the micro-reactor will be delivered to Utah San Rafael Energy Laboratory for testing and evaluation and fuel for the reactor will be transported separately from the Nevada Test Site to the laboratory.

According to World Nuclear News

Photo: Valar Atomics and Hill Air Force Base