AURORA | Installing a “micro” nuclear power generator at Buckley Space Force Base and preparing for what could be a challenging wildfire season were among top issues federal and local leaders focused on during a fourth year of annual consultation on the “Future of Buckley.”
“Today, we talked about the future of power. How do we make sure that we actually deliver the power that’s necessary to perform the missions?” Aurora Democratic Rep. Jason Crow told reporters after the annual conference among himself, base leaders, Colorado senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera and Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman. “We talked about military housing and affordability, and how the surrounding communities can be a better support to our military families. We talked about health care for our service members and how we can deliver better health care, and we talked about the very important firefighting mission, as we head into what could be a very challenging fire season for Colorado.”
The group discussed a recent announcement that federal officials plan on installing a nuclear-reactor to generate electricity for the base.
Crow said Buckley has been designated a “preferred site” for the Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations program, which includes the installation of a small, modular nuclear micro-reactor.
The reactors, which experts say are roughly the size of a truck bed trailer, are being developed and operated by Radiant Industries, based in El Segundo, Calif.
Crow said the reactor initiative was started under the previous administration and that, with the base being one of the most “power-consumptive” in the United States military, a micro-reactor is considered essential to the mission.
“The other important thing is that getting a small modular reactor would be really important for Colorado ratepayers as well,” Crow said. “The amount of power that Buckley consumes takes off of the civilian grid right now, so relieving that burden and allowing power to stay on the civilian grid would be helpful for ratepayers and reduce increased costs for Coloradans.”
Crow said that the delegation is conducting and will continue to conduct oversight into the safety and efficacy of these reactors, and he is arranging for sending a staff delegation to the manufacturing facility.
Crow said a preliminary timeline indicates these micro-reactors could be operational sometime in 2028.
The Buckley task force has convened regularly since its inception in 2023 to connect federal, state, city and base leaders to advocate on behalf of Buckley and its role in American national security.
Crow said discussions at the base on Friday were multifaceted and covered updates on how the base is able to support its personnel, wide range of missions and, currently, whether National Guard units are ready to handle a potentially demanding wildfire season as 2026 saw one of the driest and warmest winters on record.
The three Colorado members of Congress said the annual updates allow them to better navigate legislation affecting the military, and especially Buckley.
“This annual meeting that Congressman Crow hosts is just so important because it allows us to meet with leaders from the community and the base to align our support,” Bennet said.
The base employs 3,100 active duty members from across every branch of the military, is host to about 4,000 National Guard personnel and Reservists, and provides jobs to about 2,400 civilians and 2,500 different contractors. Last year, city and state officials reported that Buckley contributed about $2.4 billion to the local economy.
“Consider the Space Force missions that are here, the intelligence missions that take place here, and the National Guard mission here. This is really unique in the United States of America,” Bennet said. “I would just mention the importance of making sure that we have as modern an airframe as possible that’s flying in Buckley and that we continue to support the work of the Colorado National Guard here, and that we’re ready for the next generation of aircraft to come to Buckley.”
He said the Colorado congressional delegation will work together with state officials “to make sure the people in the DOD understand how important the mission is” at Buckley.
Colorado’s other senator said he agrees.
“This is one of the greatest concentrations of defensive elements in the United States,” Hickenlooper said. “So we have to make sure that we have the latest, most up-to-date aircraft possible is essential.”
Included in some of the wide variety of missions based at Buckley include providing space-based missile warning capability, space surveillance, and communications-based projects.
Additionally the base hosts cryptologic support units from the U.S. Marines and Coast Guard.
Bennet said Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman was part of today’s meeting with Buckley and that the delegation had underscored the importance of frequent communication among Buckley leaders, Space Force officials and the governments of Aurora and Colorado.
The House Armed Services Committee will be debating the National Defense Authorization Act markup for this year over the coming months, and a spokesperson for Crow said that the congressman will highlight additional resources and funding for Buckley Space Force Base when it comes up.
“Buckley is not just a major economic driver for our community, it’s also a key facility keeping Coloradans and Americans safe,” Crow said in a statement. “I look forward to taking what we heard today to ensure Buckley has what it needs to fulfill its mission and to ensure the service members and families here are taken care of.”