NAVFAC EXWC’s SIOP Microgrid Study Boosts Energy Resilience and Mission Assurance at Naval Shipyards

WASHINGTON — The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC) has awarded a $3.7 million contract to Jacobs Engineering CH2M Hill/Clark Nexsen Energy Partners Joint Venture. The contract involves conducting an electrical microgrid study as part of the Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP), announced on September 13.

The study is scheduled for completion in October 2025. It will evaluate all four public shipyards, aiming to ensure electrical power availability for up to 14 days during a power grid or utility outage. This assessment will cover the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of establishing a microgrid system to boost energy efficiency and reliability within shipyard facilities.

“This study is foundational to providing energy resilience at our naval shipyards,” said Capt. Luke Greene, SIOP Program Manager. “Off-grid survivability is critical to maintain the shipyards’ operations under adverse conditions and deliver ships and submarines back to the fleet on time.”

The study is integral to SIOP’s holistic approach, which combines infrastructure and equipment investments at the Navy’s four public shipyards. This approach is designed not only to meet nuclear fleet maintenance demands but also to expand shipyard capacity and optimize configuration.

As part of the Department of Defense’s Major Defense Acquisition Program process, SIOP has established performance criteria for infrastructure. This aims to ensure shipyards can operate independently of the electrical grid for extended periods, a critical factor in maintaining operational efficiency.

Up until now, SIOP has completed 30 facilities projects worth $867 million. An additional 40 projects, totaling $6 billion, are currently under contract. This includes the construction of four new dry docks. These efforts aim to enhance the naval shipyards’ resilience against sea level rise and other adverse conditions.

NAVFAC EXWC, responsible for the specialized engineering support and management of this study, focuses on research, development, testing, and lifecycle management for shore, ocean, and expeditionary domains. Their work accelerates innovation aimed at enhancing fleet capabilities both at sea and ashore.

“This microgrid study will support the modernization of our naval shipyards by providing a strategy to increase resilience and ensure uninterrupted critical power,” stated Andy Vasquez, NAVFAC EXWC Program Manager. “NAVFAC EXWC is proud to offer the specialized engineering services necessary to support SIOP.”