Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker threw cold water on a Pentagon nominee’s optimistic projection for advanced nuclear energy at a confirmation hearing Tuesday.
Brendan Rogers, nominee for assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and environment, said small modular reactors had “great potential” and could perhaps power military installations.
“We need energy independence, and we need it in kind of contested or challenging environments,” said Rogers, a former Navy SEAL. “SMRs could potentially be that solution for us across these installations, so I look forward to learning where we’re at and hopefully we can push on the timeline.”
SMRs have been touted as a key future energy source, and Congress has been eager to bolster the industry in recent years. But no reactors are currently in operation or immediately nearing deployment in the U.S.
