Solar facility at the Seabee Base

It’s usually the Seabees who are carrying out various construction projects throughout the world to support military missions and to help maintain national security here at home and overseas. Today, the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Center, or Seabee Base, in Gulfport, unveiled a project new to the base thanks to a partnership with Mississippi Power.
With the snip of the ribbon, mission accomplished at the Seabee Base in Gulfport as military leaders, alongside Mississippi Power officials, unveiled a new four megawatt solar facility. Commanding Officer Captain Cheryl Hansen said, “Not only does this make us as a nation more energy secure, but it also offers clean affordable renewable power to the community itself so we are pleased to be a part of it.”
Although this is not the first of its kind, it is certainly the biggest here on the Coast with the ability to power more than four hundred homes in South Mississippi. “A four megawatt project on sixteen or seventeen acres is definitely a first of its kind in terms of the scope of the project,” said Hansen.
Situated on the base, it serves a number of important purposes. Tony Smith with Mississippi Power said, “It’s a focus of the Department of the Navy to locate renewable energy on their bases in their distribution systems to allow them to connect in the event of a national emergency.”
There are nearly 13,000 solar panels officially active today on the site in what officials estimate cost nearly ten million dollars. A great investment, officials say, especially considering how this facility will help our area during times of disaster while also boosting the well-being of our national security. Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar said, “Our war fighters need to be able to have reliable energy when they need it and projects like this that don’t require a backup generator will provide them that flexibility.”