Photo By Lillian Putnam | Outdated generators being removed to be replaced with modern, high-capacity natural...... read more read more
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville has spearheaded a major infrastructure upgrade at Fort Eisenhower, Georgia as part of a $72 million Utility Energy Services Contract, UESC, project.
The initiative is aimed at increasing energy efficiency and includes the replacement of outdated generators with modern, high-capacity natural gas units.
The UESC will implement 20 Energy Conservation Measures, ECMs, designed to improve operational reliability, reduce costs and enhance quality of life for personnel at Fort Eisenhower.
The ECMs will collectively impact 449 buildings across 6.6 million square feet of facility space and are expected to generate approximately $5 million in annual energy savings.
Located outside of Augusta, Georgia, Fort Eisenhower is the current home of the Army Signal Corps, United States Army Cyber Command, and the Cyber Center of Excellence as well as the National Security Agency/Central Security Service' Georgia Cryptologic Center.
“This upgrade will help ensure Fort Eisenhower’s ability to maintain uninterrupted power, enhancing mission readiness and resilience,” said Aubrey Glynn, Huntsville Center UESC Program project manager.
One of the most significant components of the project is the replacement of the base’s power generation system. The original 13.5-megawatt, MW, generators date back to the 1960s and will be replaced with modern 15MW natural gas generators over the next few years.
“We are extremely happy to be partnering with Georgia Power for this project,” said Col. Reginald Evans, U.S. Army Garrison Eisenhower commander. “Replacing Fort Eisenhower's aging diesel powered generators with natural gas systems is a huge step toward reducing the installation's carbon footprint, in addition to the energy savings from the numerous other conservation measures planned.”
The scope of the project not only includes power generation, but also entails improvements to the mechanical and controls systems, central plant chillers and lighting.
“This project is unique for a couple of different reasons,” Glynn explained. “First, it’s a third-party financed project, which allows Department of Defense federal agencies to implement energy savings projects without upfront costs. Second, this UESC directly addresses resiliency by modernizing the base’s power generation system.”
UESCs are a type of third-party financed projects, where the total implementation price is financed by a bank or financier working closely with the utility company. The Garrison will then pay back the implementation price with the energy savings gained from the implementation of ECMs.
The initiative involves coordination between several organizations, including Fort Eisenhower Garrison, Army Installation Management Command, G-9, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment and the Gillem Enclave, which is a community in Forest Park, Georgia, that includes the former Fort Gillem and the Defense Forensic Science Center.
“We are grateful for this partnership with U.S. Army Garrison Fort Eisenhower as we work toward furthering the energy efficiency at the installation and lessening the carbon footprint,” said Latanza Adjei, senior vice president and chief customer officer for Georgia Power. “Collaborative efforts such as this are essential for creating a sustainable energy future and align with our commitment to our customers and communities.”
Huntsville Center is working alongside other organizations for the project’s implementation, ensuring that construction timelines align with operational needs to minimize disruptions.
“This project has been a team effort with Garrison, Installation Management Command, G-9 and others. Scheduling has been one of the biggest coordination efforts throughout the project,” Glynn elaborated. “It has been critical to work together to ensure that energy conservation measures are implemented in a timely manner while minimizing impacts to Fort Eisenhower’s daily operations.”
The generator replacement project is part of a two-year effort that began in 2024 and is expected to conclude in 2026. The upgrades aim to significantly reduce maintenance costs, avoid expensive equipment replacements and contribute to improved air quality across the installation.
Glynn described the substantial, long-term impacts of this project, “By increasing the resiliency of the garrison, we are ensuring that Fort Eisenhower can maintain operations under any circumstance, directly supporting the warfighter.”
As Huntsville Center continues to lead energy efficiency initiatives across military installations, the Fort Eisenhower UESC serves as a model for innovative, cost-effective infrastructure modernization.
“With energy resilience playing a vital role in national security, projects like this demonstrate the Army’s commitment to sustainability and mission readiness,” Glynn said.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2025 17:17 |
| Story ID: | 491813 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 90 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Huntsville Center aims to increase energy efficiency at Fort Eisenhower, by Lillian Putnam, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
