In the Indian Ocean, Navy Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Far East’s Public Works Department keeps the lights on, the buildings cool, and the food fresh onboard U.S. Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia. Behind the scenes is PWD’s Electrician’s Mate 1st Class Alexander Schultz who ensures NSF Diego Garcia is capable of providing logistics, service, recreational, and administrative support to U.S. and allied forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf areas of responsibility.

Schultz, who is the Performance Assessment Representative (PAR) for the north and south power plants, ensures this 37-mile coral atoll stays up and running. 

As a PAR, Schultz makes sure the contractors are doing their job safely and effectively. He also submits Performance Assessment Worksheets (PAWs), which document the work being done at the power plants along with any maintenance conducted.

Being an electrician’s mate, Schultz is able to bring his experience of being an electrician to the table, which helps the contractors follow their contracts and do things properly.

Having prior knowledge as a shipboard electrician allows Schultz to be a dependable PAR and therefore make sure NSF stays mission ready.

“EM1’s knowledge and training as an electrician’s mate contributes to the mission because he is able to recognize problems he’s encountered in the past and bring adequate and successful solutions to keep the power plant and the grid running smoothly,” said Construction Electrician 2nd Class Uriel Corona, the facilities PAR for PWD.

Corona said that Schultz has a positive relationship with the contractors. He said that this positive relationship enables the contractors and the Navy to work together to fulfill the contract.

The island can run on 7.4 to 8.3 megawatts (MW) of power, depending on the energy demand, and the island uses generators that produce 1.1 MW, 2.2 MW, and 4.4 MW.

An estimated 164 homes can run on one megawatt, all depending on the amount of electricity used.

“As the demand goes up, the amount of power produced goes up,” said Schultz. “Without power to the island, a lot of the things that need to be done wouldn’t be possible; although, certain places do have back-up generators.”

Without Sailors like Schultz, NSF Diego Garcia wouldn’t be able to provide support to U.S. and allied forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf areas of responsibility. Schultz and the contractors keep the power on, providing NSF Diego Garcia with the capability to support national policy objectives around the globe.

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