Nuclear Power School

The Nuclear Power School (NPS) is a technical training institution operated by the United States Navy in Goose Creek, South Carolina. It serves as a core component of the Navy’s program to prepare enlisted sailors, officers, and civilians employed at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory for the operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants aboard surface ships and submarines in the U.S. nuclear navy. As of 2020, the U.S. Navy manages 98 nuclear power plants, including 71 submarines (each powered by a single reactor), 11 aircraft carriers (each with two reactors), two Moored Training Ships (MTS), and two land-based training plants. NPS is the cornerstone of the Navy’s nuclear training pipeline. Enlisted personnel typically attend Nuclear Field "A" School before beginning at NPS, while officers and some civilian contractors enter the program with a college degree. The program culminates in certification as a nuclear operator at one of the Navy’s two Nuclear Power Training Units (NPTU). The curriculum at NPS is widely regarded as one of the most grueling in the U.S. military.