Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., is urging the Department of Defense to select Fort Drum to host Project Janus, the next-generation nuclear power project that the Army is looking to construct on a U.S. military post.
Last week, Schumer told the Watertown Daily Times that he’d sent a formal letter to the Department of Defense requesting Fort Drum be selected from the nine locations shortlisted to host the project.
“Fort Drum’s facilities, personnel, and infrastructure make it uniquely positioned to spearhead the Army’s Janus Program and demonstrate this important, innovative nuclear microreactor technology. Fort Drum is top-of-class to lead in advanced nuclear development. Bringing a safe and secure nuclear energy source to Fort Drum is a win-win for strengthening the base’s energy security and protecting our Army from vulnerabilities like grid failures,” Schumer said. “As one of the most advanced and strategic military installations in the country, Fort Drum is ready, and the critical missions it carries out to protect our nation demand reliable, resilient, and independent onsite power generation.”
In his letter, Schumer argued that Fort Drum is the right site to host the next-generation power plant because it’s in need of clean, reliable independent energy supplies and hosts the Army’s single most-deployed division of the last 30 years.
Project Janus was launched in late 2025, identifying nine U.S. Army posts across the continental U.S. that could host a small, modular nuclear reactor designed to supply a moderate, consistent and constant supply of energy. The project aims to switch on a nuclear power plant by September 2038.