{"id":567629,"date":"2026-04-06T09:45:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T09:45:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/567629\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T09:45:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T09:45:12","slug":"no-power-no-problem-camp-humphreys-tests-energy-resilience-during-blackout-drill-article","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/567629\/","title":{"rendered":"No power, no problem: Camp Humphreys tests energy resilience during blackout drill | Article"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Electricians with the United States Garrison Humphreys Directorate of Public Works (DPW) conducts the Black Start Exercise at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, April 1, 2026. Mandated by Congress, the U.S. Army’s “Black Start” exercises are designed to test an installation’s energy resilience and its ability to function independently during a complete loss of external power. During the exercise, an installation is deliberately taken off the public power grid to simulate a widespread blackout with the goal of identifying and addressing any infrastructure vulnerabilities. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Damilola Awe)
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CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea \u2014 The hum of generators filled the air as Camp Humphreys plunged key facilities into darkness, April 1.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t an emergency or an April Fools\u2019 Day prank, but a carefully choreographed drill designed to test the installation\u2019s ability to maintain operations during a loss of electricity.<\/p>\n

The eight-hour Black Start Exercise was no small feat. Power was deliberately cut to select facilities, forcing backup generators to kick in and some personnel to relocate to continue their missions. The exercise tested the installation\u2019s energy infrastructure, the interdependence of critical systems, and the ability of units to adapt under emergency conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur primary objective is power resiliency and mission readiness,\u201d said Jay Jung, an electrical engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the team lead for the exercise. \u201cIt\u2019s about identifying how to support families and the mission when we lose power.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Black Start Exercise included a series of planned outages at key facilities. Observers from the Power Reliability Enhancement Program team monitored the process to assess the installation\u2019s ability to systematically shut down and reenergize its systems. Jung also highlighted the critical support provided by the U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys team and the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tested the interdependency of our facilities, including communications and other systems that could be impacted by a power outage,\u201d said Jim Imhoff, a program analyst from Headquarters Installation Management Command. \u201cTesting under controlled conditions ensures that if an incident happens, we can remain resilient and continue the mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Directorate of Public Works was divided into several teams responsible for cutting power to select facilities for up to eight hours before restoring it. During that time, backup generators provided electricity to key facilities, while others remained without power, requiring some workers to relocate as part of the exercise, Jung said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough this wasn\u2019t a graded exercise,\u201d Jung said, \u201cthis was an exemplary display of DPW\u2019s coordinated efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n

To minimize the impact on the community, certain facilities were exempt from the power shutdown, including family housing, barracks, the commissary, the exchange, and select Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation facilities such as the Child Development Center.<\/p>\n

The DPW Base Operation Command Center served as the hub for the exercise, where the team managed operations by monitoring power distribution and fielding calls. With the exercise complete, the installation will address issues identified during the drill to further improve its energy resilience.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a team effort across DPW, working for weeks to refine our processes and ensure we were ready,\u201d said Jaewon Kim, operations and maintenance division chief, Directorate of Public Works, U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys. \u201cI\u2019m really proud of our team and all those involved.\u201d<\/p>\n


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