Alabama Delegation Endorses Redstone Arsenal for Project Janus Microreactor Site

U.S. Representative Dale Strong (R-AL5) is leading Alabama’s entire Congressional delegation in pressing the case for Redstone Arsenal as a top choice to host a future microreactor under the Army’s new energy program.

In a letter addressed to Dan Driscoll, Secretary of the Army, Strong and the other members of Alabama’s delegation, of both parties, highlighted Redstone Arsenal’s unique strengths as reasons why it should be selected under Project Janus.

Alabama’s Republican Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt, Reps. Barry Moore (R-AL1), Shomari Figures (D-AL2), Mike Rogers (R-AL3), Robert Aderholt (R-AL4), Gary Palmer (R-AL6) and Terri Sewell (D-AL7) all joined with Rep, Strong in signing the letter.

Redstone Arsenal lies within Strong’s District, making him the logical choice to spearhead the effort.

Project Janus is the Army’s initiative to build and deploy next-generation nuclear power—compact microreactors designed to supply secure, resilient and grid-independent energy to critical military installations.

According to the letter:

“A Federal Center of Excellence, [Redstone Arsenal] is home to approximately 65 tenant units across the federal government and a workforce of almost 46,000 personnel. Selecting [Redstone] as a site for Project Janus would benefit not only the U.S. Army, but also the Joint Force and interagency partners, including NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, FBI Redstone, and U.S. Space Command,” read the letter. “The installation's core mission areas include space operations and missile defense, RDT&E, intelligence, and homeland defense, which are among the nation's most critical, making the energy resilience provided by the [microreactor] essential for uninterrupted operations.”

Redstone Arsenal is one of nine U.S. Army installations under consideration for initial microreactor deployment. The service plans to pick three sites from the list for its pilot program, with final selections expected by mid-2026.

Strong emphasized what he says makes Redstone stand out:

“Redstone Arsenal has the people, the expertise, the infrastructure, and the mission set to ensure Project Janus' success,” he said. “North Alabama is ready to support this pilot program, and I will continue working to ensure Redstone remains at the top of the list.”

Historically, Redstone has pushed toward energy resilience: the installation already hosts a 10-megawatt solar array with battery storage, providing clean energy and backup power. The Arsenal supports dozens of federal and defense organizations, giving it a complex energy demand that could benefit from a stable, independent power source—especially for critical missions such as missile defense, testing, and space operations.

With Project Janus aiming to provide energy independence at installations with high power demands—avoiding reliance on aging civilian grids, or logistical chains for fuel—Redstone Arsenal is a logical choice for this project.

The Janus Program, unveiled earlier this year, aims to deploy small nuclear reactors—often called microreactors—on U.S. Army installations. These reactors are designed to supply consistent and resilient energy to critical power loads, even under grid disruptions, natural events, or conflict.

Through Janus, the Army and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) will work with commercial firms under a milestone-based contracting model. Vendors will build and operate the reactors under Army oversight.

The hope is these microreactors will offer next-generation nuclear energy that is safer, efficient, and capable of powering bases independently—bolstering readiness and mission assurance for the Army and its partners. Looking further, these microreactors—small, scalable and easier to build than conventional reactors—are felt by many to be an integral part of keeping up with the nation’s burgeoning power needs.

The Army will now review proposals from industry and narrow down the candidate sites. According to current plans, a handful of installations among the nine under review will be chosen for the pilot microreactors. Final site selections are expected around mid-2026.

Meanwhile, supporters of Redstone—including Rep. Strong and others—will likely continue pushing to keep their preferred installation in contention.

The letter may be read HERE.