U.S military wants to build mobile microreactor in Idaho - The Hour

U.S military wants to build mobile microreactor in Idaho - The Hour: BOISE, Idaho (AP) - The U.S. Department of Defense wants to build a prototype advanced mobile nuclear microreactor at the Idaho National Laboratory in eastern Idaho, saying they are needed to ensure the military's energy supply.
The microreactor would be capable of producing one to 10 megawatts. A megawatt can power from about 400 to 900 homes, depending on energy consumption that is dependent on such things as air conditioning.
The department says it wants to reduce reliance on local electric grids, which are highly vulnerable to prolonged outages from a variety of threats.
The department is considering building the microreactor at the U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory in eastern Tennessee would also take part.
Edwin Lyman, director of Nuclear Power Safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit, said the project has a goal of creating a portable reactor that can shut down and start up quickly, and doesn't need maintenance or an operator.
"We're talking about paper designs where it would take a long time to develop and demonstrate them to the point where any military commander would actually want to have on