Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) recently achieved a key milestone in deploying the Smart Grid enterprise energy management solution. Smart Grid—an innovative tool that captures near-real-time building and utility management system data across the globe—recently passing a crucial capability test during its first deployment at Naval Station (NS) Norfolk on Feb 22. The test validated that Smart Grid is operating as it was originally intended.

This milestone allows continued regional deployment across NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic while NS Norfolk establishes a dedicated facility engineering operations center (FEOC). Other installations in the region will begin integrating buildings, meters, and control systems to the system’s command hub in Norfolk. Simultaneously, regional deployment has also begun for NAVFAC Southwest with its FEOC set to open at Naval Base San Diego. 

“This success paves the way for implementation at other NAVFAC locations, both within the United States and abroad,” said Patrick Hudock, NAVFAC Smart Grid program manager. “The DON has invested in Smart Grid to enable more responsive and cost-effective operations, placing the Navy and Marine Corps on the forefront of installation modernization.”

Smart Grid is a centralized, cyber secure monitoring and control system that analyzes energy consumption and utilizes data to drive more efficient operations. Smart Grid generates actionable information and instantaneously alerts personnel of outages or anomalies, allowing technicians to more quickly respond to issues. Mapping functionality creates a digital twin of an installation allowing operators to pinpoint issues down to the building and meter. Analytic capabilities support predictive maintenance, cost management, and advanced warning of energy failures that may impact maritime readiness.

“Smart Grid capabilities are revolutionizing the way the Department of the Navy (DON) handles disruptions with quicker response times and proactive monitoring of our energy assets,” said Eric Speight, NAVFAC Atlantic Smart Grid program manager. “Response time is particularly valuable when a disruption impacts a mission-critical resource, such as a pier-side ship plugged into an installation’s electrical grid experiencing an outage. In this scenario, Smart Grid accelerates restoration time and allows resources to return to optimum mission readiness faster.”

Before Smart Grid, each control system functioned in a passive and disconnected “on” or “off” mode where operators had to manually download data from meters or systems before acting on issues. With Smart Grid, an operator in a central command location can monitor energy data in near-real time, deploying technicians to efficiently manage emergencies, outages and repairs when Smart Grid alerts.

The DON plans to deploy Smart Grid across the shore enterprise over the next several years to enhance resiliency on its installations. Initial operating capability is expected at NAVFAC Southwest later this year, followed by NAVFAC Hawaii and NAVFAC Europe Africa Southwest Asia.

“With evolving digital threats to infrastructure and networks, it is imperative that the Navy utilize the best tools available, and Smart Grid is one of them,” said John Kliem, executive director, NAVFAC Energy Security Programs. “Adversaries are working harder than ever to exploit cyber vulnerabilities and infiltrate U.S. systems. Smart Grid’s simple design makes Navy and Marine Corps operations more secure against outages and possible breaches.”

The deployment of this solution enables the DON to modernize the shore and advance the work of tenant commands onboard installations. The success at Mid-Atlantic is only the beginning of Smart Grid’s ability to better support the Navy and Marine Corps mission both at home and aboard.

To learn more about Smart Grid, please view our video on the NAVFAC YouTube channel.

NAVFAC remains the shore facilities Systems Command that delivers its products and services per CNIC priorities and requirements, and CNIC/OPNAV/tenant command resourcing.

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