USACE Awards Nearly $27 Million for White Sands Solar and Storage Microgrid
- Military & Defense News Solar + Storage Integration
Marin Holt
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- 6 minutes read
- USACE contract value: $27 million
- Battery energy storage system rating: 500 kw / 2,000 kWh
- Carport-mounted solar array: 600 kW
- Dispatchable onsite propane generation: 670 kW
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded nearly $27 million to build a solar and storage microgrid at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Microgrid Knowledge reported the award and said the microgrid is expected to begin operating in 2028.
ABM identified AACON-RavenVolt JV, LLC as the selected contractor. The project will supply redundant power to vital cantonment facilities and support critical military operations during external grid outages and extreme weather.
The planned equipment includes a 600 kW carport-mounted solar array and a battery energy storage system rated at 500 kw / 2,000 kWh. Microgrid Knowledge also reported 670 kW of dispatchable onsite propane generation and an intelligent microgrid control system.
Solar is part of the system, alongside stored energy and fuel-based generation. ABM said the controls will coordinate the distributed assets, allowing the installation to island and reduce its dependence on the local utility grid.
Construction Includes Distribution and Communications
ABM said the contract falls under the Department of Defense’s Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program. Construction will follow a Design-Bid-Build framework.
The work extends beyond installing generation and storage equipment. According to ABM, the construction scope includes new electrical distribution lines, fiber optic communications and security infrastructure for the secure feeder-level microgrid.
The joint venture pairs AACON General Contractors’ federal construction experience with RavenVolt’s microgrid and distributed energy engineering expertise, ABM said. AACON is based in Louisville, Kentucky. RavenVolt is an ABM subsidiary.
ABM executive Mark Hawkinson tied the project to mission readiness. He said dependable electricity and modern infrastructure underpin continuous operation at critical military installations.
White Sands already has a separate microgrid serving water infrastructure. Microgrid Knowledge reported that a water resiliency microgrid commissioned in 2025 provides backup power for four groundwater wells.
Why It Matters
The latest project targets continued operation of vital cantonment facilities when outside power fails. ABM said coordinated solar, storage, backup generation and controls will provide islanding and redundant power.
For installation energy planners, the construction scope puts distribution, communications and security alongside the energy equipment. Those elements form part of the contracted system intended to safeguard mission-critical operations. The next milestone is the expected start of operation in 2028.
Critical Perspective
Microgrid Knowledge reports a nearly $27 million award, yet the account does not specify how long the microgrid must sustain vital cantonment facilities during an outage. ABM says coordinated controls will enable islanding, but no acceptance test or required backup duration is described. Propane generation makes fuel availability part of the resilience claim, alongside the battery and solar array. How long must the system carry its designated critical loads without fuel replenishment?
