New Jersey has an energy problem. We consume more than we produce, and we rely on a regional grid that struggles to meet our growing demand. At the same time, families and businesses across our state are staring down staggering energy costs with no sign of relief. That’s why a new bipartisan bill out of Washington — while aimed at national defense —should catch the attention of every policymaker in Trenton.
New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim (D) and Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana (R) have introduced S.2389, a bill that would create a pilot program to deploy advanced micro nuclear reactors at military installations across the country. These small, flexible nuclear reactors are designed to provide highly resilient, around-the-clock energy, and could connect to the civilian grid in times of surplus. You can read the bill here.
While the bill’s focus is on defense readiness, it highlights something we in the building trades have long understood: Nuclear energy is safe, reliable and critical to a stable energy future. And that includes here in the Garden State.
The fact is, New Jersey can’t meet its own energy demands. Our current infrastructure is stretched, and our reliance on fossil fuels and imported electricity makes us vulnerable to spikes in pricing and failures in supply. If we want to power our homes, schools, hospitals, and transit systems without interruption — or worse, without pollution — we need to look at nuclear energy in all its forms, including small modular reactors like those featured in this bill.
The potential of these micro reactors isn’t hypothetical. They are real, scalable technologies already being tested, refined, and readied for deployment. If they can provide secure, resilient energy to keep military bases operational in the face of attack or disruption, they can certainly help power our civilian communities with greater reliability and fewer emissions.
This legislation should serve as a proof of concept — not just for national defense, but for states like New Jersey that are looking for smarter, cleaner and more stable energy solutions.
There’s also a tremendous economic opportunity. If New Jersey moves to embrace advanced nuclear infrastructure, it would mean tens of thousands of family-sustaining union construction jobs. From concrete and steel to electrical and piping work, every stage of nuclear energy development relies on skilled tradespeople — and we have the best-trained workforce in the country, ready to get to work.
Beyond the job sites, nuclear investment creates ripple effects across entire regions — supporting local businesses, strengthening tax bases, and lifting up communities that need long-term, sustainable growth.
We applaud Senators Kim and Sheehy for their bipartisan leadership. Their bill shows what’s possible when innovation meets public purpose. And while S.2389 is a national defense initiative, it sends a clear message that we in New Jersey should heed: micro nuclear reactors are not just part of our future — they’re essential to it.
It’s time to stop treating nuclear as a last resort and start seeing it for what it is — a clean, dependable, job-creating solution to the challenges we face today.
William Mullen is the president of the New Jersey Building & Construction Trades Council.
