QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Q1. What is the Air Force building at JBSA? 
A1. The Department of the Air Force is partnering with a private company to potentially build a nuclear microreactor at Joint Base San Antonio. Microreactors are very small nuclear reactors that usually generate less than 50 megawatts-electric (MWe). They are seen as part of a family of advanced reactor technology that are designed to provide secure, weatherproof power strictly for critical military missions. Advanced nuclear reactors could provide safe, secure, and reliable power without a grid connection, which would allow Joint Base San Antonio to operate independently through potential disruptions.

Q2. Why does JBSA need this? 
A2. The Department of the Air Force is exploring a microreactor for Joint Base San Antonio to guarantee power for its critical missions. It would provide Joint Base San Antonio with a secure, off-grid power source to ensure its missions can continue 24/7. The Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations initiative is a key part of a national strategy to strengthen America's energy independence and leadership in new technology.

Q3. Is this a massive nuclear power plant like we see in the movies? 
A3. No. Nuclear microreactors are nothing like the huge facility with giant cooling towers that might be in movies, they are completely different. Microreactors are very small, factory-built, and practically invisible from outside the base. They are more like a self-contained, dedicated power source for a specific community or mission. Using advanced nuclear reactor technology, microreactors are a safer, more secure, and reliable energy source.

Q4. How big is the microreactor, physically? 
A4. Microreactors are small, factory-built units that can be delivered by truck. This allows them to be installed quickly on a small plot of land, only a few acres. Their small footprint and modular design make them an ideal solution for providing reliable power to military bases without requiring a large amount of land. 

Q5. Why not just use other green technologies like solar, batteries, or geothermal? 
A5. After a thorough review of alternatives, the Department of the Air Force determined a nuclear microreactor to be the most reliable and cost-effective option to guarantee power for Joint Base San Antonio during a prolonged emergency, as other technologies were found to be insufficient or too expensive.

Q6. Is it safe for the surrounding community? 
A6. Nuclear energy is the safest and most tightly regulated options to generate large amounts of reliable power. But like all energy sources, nuclear energy is not completely risk-free. Advanced nuclear microreactors are designed to be 'meltdown-proof,' designed for safety. They are built to adjust to changing conditions and continue safe operation without relying on offsite power, to automatically shut down and cool themselves without the need of any outside power or human action. Their design also allows people to work in the immediate area without risk of exposure. The Department of the Air Force’s number one priority is maintaining the health and safety of the public, our servicemembers, and their families, including the environment in which they live and work

Q7. What are the environmental impacts? 
A7. During its entire operation, the microreactor produces clean, carbon-free electricity. This means it won't release any greenhouse gases or air pollutants that contribute to smog or climate change. Environmental impacts will be:

Land Use: The physical footprint is very small. The reactor itself is about the size of a shipping container, so it only requires a few acres of land. There will be temporary disruption during construction, similar to any small building project.
Nuclear Waste: The reactor creates a very small amount of solid, spent fuel. By law, the company that own-operates the reactor, Antares, is required to have a federally approved, start-to-finish plan to safely transport and permanently store this waste. The reactor cannot be turned on until this comprehensive plan is in place.
Water Usage: Unlike large, traditional nuclear plants, this advanced microreactor is designed to be air-cooled, meaning it won't draw water from local sources for cooling.

Before any construction can begin, a full Environmental Impact Statement must be completed under federal law. This process involves a thorough public review to ensure all potential impacts on the local environment are identified and managed.

Q8. What happens to its nuclear waste?
A8. An advanced nuclear power microreactor produces very little nuclear waste, also known as spent fuel. If the Department of the Air Force decides to site a microreactor on Joint Base San Antonio, the private company that own-operates the microreactor, Antares Nuclear, Inc., will be required to safely manage all fuel for its entire lifetime. Before the microreactor can even operate, Antares must have a complete, federally approved plan for handling the very small amount of waste, from start to finish. Nuclear waste will not be stored in San Antonio, Texas.

Q9. San Antonio relies on the Edwards Aquifer. Will this use up our local water supply? 
A9. No. A microreactor does not use water for cooling. It relies on advanced physics for cooling, making it completely independent of local water resources. 

Q10. Has the military ever done this near a city before? 
A10. Yes, it has. The U.S. military has safely built and operated compact nuclear reactors for more than 60 years with a flawless safety record. More than 550 reactors have been in military use, specifically to support nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines that are moored in densely populated cities. While that nuclear energy is used for a very different reason, the U.S. military operated a small nuclear reactor from 1957 into the 1970s very close to Washington, D.C. It was the country’s first nuclear reactor to safely provide power to the electrical grid for nearly two decades, primarily as a training facility for military nuclear operators.

Q11. Who regulates the safety of this project? 
A11. The Department of the Air Force is coordinating with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy to evaluate the safety of the microreactor technology to ensure adherence to the strictest safety standards and that it is safe for the community. Dependent on which operating licensing option the private owner-operator decides to pursue, independent federal experts from either the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission or the U.S. Department of Energy will require a thorough safety review to ensure the technology before the microreactor can begin operation.

Q12. Will this connect to the CPS Energy grid or affect my home's power? 
A12. No. An advanced nuclear reactor at Joint Base San Antonio would serve only the installation's critical facilities. Although the Department of the Air Force does not intend to have any microreactor under this initiative to provide power to the commercial grid, Joint Base San Antonio will fully and proactively engage and cooperate with CPS Energy on all required permits and agreements.

Q13. Will this create jobs or help the local economy? 
A13. A microreactor at Joint Base San Antonio, under the Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations initiative, will help advance nuclear energy technologies and provide a pathway and framework for scaling future energy projects in the Greater San Antonio area and beyond, establishing the area a leader in clean-energy innovation.  

Q14. Who, exactly, is building and running this? 
A14. Joint Base San Antonio has been matched by the Department of the Air Force to the private American company, Antares Nuclear, Inc. The private company will own and operate the microreactor. As with all commercial nuclear energy facilities in the U.S., Antares Nuclear, Inc. must follow strict federal nuclear safety and environmental regulations and processes as part of the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act review process. This includes development and testing of detailed safety and emergency response plans, from reactor design to decommissioning.

Well-trained, highly capable operators from the nuclear industry who are licensed—by either the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission or U.S. Department of Energy—would be run any microreactor at Joint Base San Antonio under the Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations initiative. As part of the commercial ownership-and-operation agreement with the Department of the Air Force, these contractor-operators will complete extensive training before certification and will be required to continue their training throughout the life of their license. Reactor operators will follow detailed written procedures to ensure safe operation of the reactor. 
 

This webpage will be updated as more information becomes available.