The Pentagon is exploring a floating nuclear power plant concept that could give U.S. military bases a rapid, high-output source of electricity to sustain AI-era operations when civilian grids are strained, disrupted, or targeted. The proposal under discussion would place a reactor aboard a ship-like platform moored at a waterside installation, then connect it to the base and local grid, potentially shortening fielding timelines by using Defense Department authorities rather than the civilian licensing pathway. The prospect points to a widening defense problem: power is becoming a limiting factor for command-and-control, sensor networks, cyber operations, and the compute-heavy infrastructure required to train and run military AI tools. The effort centers on talks with UK-based Core Power and an initial deployment window as early as 2028. Read more...
