Duke Energy tapped to install microgrid at Camp Lejeune

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina awarded Duke Energy a $22 million utility energy service contract to build a microgrid at the military base.

The microgrid will include upgraded electrical infrastructure, 5 megawatts (MW) of on-site natural gas-fired generation, a 5.4-MW battery energy storage system, integration of an existing solar photovoltaic system, and a microgrid controller to provide integrated demand management, black start, and islanding capability.

“We’re excited to bring additional energy reliability and resiliency to Camp Lejeune,” said Melisa Johns, vice president of Distributed Energy Solutions at Duke Energy. “This project offers a number of innovative and integrated solutions that will lead to more efficient energy use and significant cost savings to Camp Lejeune.”

The microgrid will be installed at Camp Johnson – an education and training area located within Camp Lejeune. While many military installations have backup generators, microgrids enable operators to manage the power load and redirect power to critical missions that require an uninterruptible energy supply during an unplanned power outage.

“The Marine Corps is investing in state-of-the-art infrastructure to position installations to prevent, recover and survive a prolonged loss of electrical service from weather – and climate-related events,” Marine Corps Installations Command Public Works Director Walter Ludwig said. “This UESC award is a major step toward furthering the reliability, resilience, and efficiency of Camp Lejeune’s electrical infrastructure and on-site generation capabilities.”

Camp Lejeune, in Onslow County, N.C., is home to the largest concentration of Marines in the Marine Corps. Duke Energy also completed a 13-MW solar facility at Camp Lejeune in 2015.