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The US Department of the Navy has launched a call for proposals to deliver advanced energy resilience solutions capable of powering Navy and Marine Corps installations in the event of grid failure or other disruptions.
The solicitation, issued through the Center for Energy, Environment and Demilitarization Consortium under an other transaction authority agreement, is seeking execution-ready prototypes to modernise energy infrastructure, safeguard mission-critical operations, and ensure uninterrupted power supply across defence facilities.
US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan said the initiative marked a significant shift in how the service approached energy security.
“We are calling on America’s most capable innovators to deliver advanced, installation-scale energy solutions, ranging from small modular nuclear reactors to cutting-edge storage and generation technologies that can deliver power with 99.9 per cent availability, even if the public grid goes dark,” Secretary Phelan said.
“This is about warfighting readiness, mission assurance and making sure our bases remain operational under any circumstances.”
Key focus areas for prototype concepts include:
- Modernising infrastructure through resilient and advanced energy systems at Navy, Marine Corps, and other Department of Defense facilities.
- Ensuring 99.9 per cent mission availability with power systems that can sustain operations through civilian grid failures.
- Powering high-demand data centres, particularly those supporting advanced artificial intelligence, which require continuous, high-output energy.
- Integrating advanced generation technologies, including small modular nuclear reactors, geothermal, battery storage and other next-generation systems.
- Building resilience against threats, from natural disasters and cyber attacks to grid instability.
- Exploring innovative financing models to accelerate deployment and reduce reliance on traditional government funding.
The other transaction authority framework gives the Navy greater speed and flexibility than conventional procurement methods, enabling closer collaboration with both established defence contractors and new energy sector innovators. The department is seeking solutions that are rapidly deployable, require minimal permitting and are ready for immediate execution.
“Energy resilience is warfighting resilience,” Secretary Phelan said. “If a hurricane knocks out the local grid, our ships still sail. If a cyber attack takes down civilian power, our bases stay online. That’s the standard and we’re setting it now.”
