Prime Power Soldiers maintain inland waterways infrastructure America relies on

Locks and dams are critical components of the nation’s inland waterway system, but it is the electrical infrastructure behind them that keeps operations running safely and efficiently around the clock. Without reliable electrical systems, the millions of tons of commodities that move along the Ohio River system each year could face significant disruptions, jeopardizing America’s economy and critical supply chains.

Recently, teams from the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power), Bravo Company completed Circuit Breaker Relay Maintenance (CBRM) testing missions across the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District at Cannelton Locks & Dam in Cannelton, Indiana; Green River Locks and Dams 1 and 2 in Kentucky; and Smithland Locks & Dam in Bridgeport, Illinois.

The missions directly support the continued safe and reliable operation of critical navigation infrastructure throughout the Louisville District.

“The objective of this mission is to inspect, test, validate and reinstall all of the circuit breakers that are critical to the safe operation of the locks and dams,” said Capt. Brigitta Cooper, Bravo Company commander.

The 249th Engineer Battalion is the Army’s only unit solely dedicated to prime power operations and electrical systems expertise, specializing in medium-voltage energy generation and distribution. The battalion supports two primary mission sets: supporting combatant commanders and delivering power to the warfighter, and providingtemporary emergency powerto critical facilities under the National Response Framework.

Soldiers assigned to the battalion graduate from the U.S. Army Prime Power School as Prime Power Production Specialists, Military Occupational Specialty 12P, following a year of intensive training in advanced mathematics, physics, engineering and power plant operations and maintenance.

That specialized training is essential during complex missions like CBRM testing, where troubleshooting and adaptability are often required.

That expertise becomes especially important when working with aging infrastructure at many lock and dam facilities.

In many cases, equipment specifications are difficult to obtain because original manufacturers no longer exist or have since been acquired by other companies. Without complete documentation, the teams must rely on technical expertise, historical data from project staff and problem-solving skills to successfully complete the work.

The teams frequently encounter situations where innovation is needed to modify or adapt standard testing equipment to deliver the power levels required for specific circuit breakers.

“In industry, there are pieces of equipment that aren’t complete,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Samuel Rambert. “The manufacturer’s specifications for a specific piece of equipment might say that it can deliver 5,000 amps, but the connections they give us only deliver 1,000 amps, so we have to come up with a way to deliver the full 5,000 amps to test the breakers the way they need to be tested.”

At Smithland Locks and Dam, the team encountered these challenges firsthand. Rather than halting operations, the Soldiers relied on their technical training and understanding of electromagnetic theory to develop solutions in real time. By twisting cables around one another, they were able to reduce the opposing magnetic field and increase the current delivered from the testing equipment to the circuit breaker.

While Prime Power Soldiers are not qualified to conduct Arc Flash studies, an action performed by licensed degreed electrical engineers, data collected during these missions is used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to support Arc Flash studies, a critical component of personnel safety and facility reliability. Arc flashes are dangerous electrical events that can release intense heat and pressure, posing serious risks to both workers and equipment.

Part of the mission also involves building a thorough historical testing record for the equipment to support future maintenance and operational reliability.

Locks and dams throughout the Louisville District play a critical role in supporting commercial navigation, regional economies and the transportation of commodities throughout the nation’s waterways. “These missions are impactful and serve as a method to maintain a high level of technical proficiency in our Prime Power Soldiers and Leaders,” said Lt. Col. Donnie Schmidt, 249th Engineer Battalion Commander. “The work our Soldiers are doing to maintain this electrical infrastructure outside of contracted support enables the Corps to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and ensures the safe operation of one of our nation’s economic engines – its navigable waterways.”

By ensuring critical electrical systems continue operating safely and efficiently, Prime Power soldiers help maintain the operational readiness of infrastructure that millions of Americans rely on every day.

The missions also demonstrate the unique partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Army units that support its infrastructure operations. Through technical expertise, innovation and adaptability, the 249th Engineer Battalion continues to provide specialized capabilities that support both military and civil works missions across the country.

“When I see our soldiers out here working on this mission, I feel an immense amount of pride for the work that they do,” said Cooper. “This is a real mission with operational impacts. If they fail to do what they need to do to test and reinstall the circuit breakers effectively, that has real impacts to the navigation of the greater Ohio River system and the commodities that are pushed up and down this river every day.”