US Air Force Awards Contract for KRONOS Microreactor Study

The United States Air Force awarded a $1.25 million research contract to NANO Nuclear Energy to conduct a feasibility study on deploying the KRONOS microreactor at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington. The study evaluates whether the modular reactor can provide independent electricity to critical base operations, reducing dependence on diesel generators and the commercial grid during outages.

NANO Nuclear Energy acquired the KRONOS technology from Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp in January 2025. The reactor is designed to generate up to 15 megawatts of electricity and 45 megawatts of heat. This project aligns with a wider Pentagon strategy to enhance military readiness via small nuclear reactors, including the United States Army's Janus program, which has agreements with five developers totaling up to $2.2 billion.

In a separate effort, NANO Nuclear Energy is seeking a federal construction permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a research reactor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.