The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has awarded a nearly $27 million contract for the construction of a new solar and energy storage microgrid at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico.

AACON-RavenVolt, a joint venture of ABM, a facility, engineering and infrastructure solutions provider, and AACON General Contractors will build the project under a design-bid-bill framework.

The secure feeder-level microgrid, also known as a community microgrid, will include a 600 kW carport-mounted solar array, a 500 kw / 2,000 kWh high-capacity battery energy storage system (BESS), 670 kW of dispatchable onsite propane generators and an intelligent microgrid control system. 

AACON-RavenVolt will also install new electrical distribution lines, fiber connections to the microgrid and security infrastructure. The microgrid is expected to be operational in 2028 and will prevent disruptions to critical operations during external grid outages or extreme weather events.

“Reliable power is fundamental to mission readiness, and critical military installations require robust, modern infrastructure to guarantee continuous operation,” Mark Hawkinson, president, engineering & infrastructure solutions at ABM, said in a statement. “The AACON-RavenVolt joint venture is proud to partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District to deliver a resilient power system engineered to sustain White Sands Missile Range when the commercial grid cannot.”

White Sands is a hot bed for microgrids

Perhaps best known as being a missile and munitions test facility, White Sands Missile Range is also one of the top research, development and testing sites in the country for military and civilian technologies. As such, the garrison is home to a number of other microgrids.

A water resiliency microgrid was commissioned in 2025 to provide backup power for four groundwater wells. The hybrid system includes solar, energy storage and a natural gas generator.

Additionally, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and Sesame Solar are demonstrating a fully self-sufficient hydrogen-powered nanogrid in the base’s residential area. Essentially a small microgrid, the nearly silent nanogrid powers a wildlife surveillance camera system and is designed for continuous, unattended operation in remote areas.

One of the first “ERCIP” projects

Funding for this latest White Sands microgrid was awarded by the USACE’s Louisville District as part of the Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program (ERCIP). The $2 billion program is designed to streamline the procurement process, enabling the faster deployment of energy resilience and critical infrastructure projects across military installations.

Announced in May, 14 firms were pre-qualified to compete for ERCIP contracts, including major design-bid-build contracts Parsons, Hensel Phelps, Tutor Perini and Honeywell. AACON-RavenVolt is one of five small business joint ventures on the list.