249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power)
"Black Lions"
The mission of the 249th Engineer Battalion is to deploy to generate and distribute prime electrical power in support of warfighting, stability and support operations, and disaster relief operations; to provide advice and technical assistance in all aspects of electrical power and distribution systems; and to maintain Army prime power generation and distribution reserve stocks.
The 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power) is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers asset headquartered at Ft. Belvoir, VA. The battalion generates and distributes prime electrical power in support of warfighting, disaster relief, stability and support operations as well as provides advice and technical assistance in all aspects of electrical power and distribution systems. It also maintains Army power generation and distribution war reserves.
The 249th Engineer Battalion is the only prime power unit in the Army; the only Army unit under the command of the Chief of Engineers; the only Battalion which runs a joint-service school that qualifies soldiers and sailors in a Military Occupational Speciality; and also the only Battalion with both global responsibilities and forward deployment.
The 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power), the only active duty battalion in the US Army Corps of Engineers, is a Corps asset headquartered at Ft. Belvoir, VA. The 249th is a multi-component unit with Active Component (AC) and U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) soldiers. The battalion generates and distributes prime electrical power in support of warfighting, disaster relief, stability and support operations as well as provides advice and technical assistance in all aspects of electrical power and distribution systems. It also maintains Army power generation and distribution war reserves.
The battalion consists of a Headquarters and Headquarters Company, a Heavy Maintenance Platoon, two Prime Power line companies (A & B), and the Prime Power School.
The Battalion Commander of the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power) is also the Commandant of the U.S. Army Prime Power School located at Fort Belvoir, VA. The Prime Power School trains Prime Power Production Specialist (MOS 52E) through a rigorous, year-long program including courses in math, physics, engineering, and power plant operations and maintenance. The training program is open to Active and Reserve soldiers, and Navy Seabees. Upon graduation, Army personnel are awarded MOS 52E20 and Navy personnel are awarded NEC 5633. Students earn over 30 semester hours of college credit while attaining the knowledge and skills associated with installing, operating, and maintaining large medium voltage electrical power plants. Additional courses conducted at the school include MOS 52E30 BNCOC and MOS 210A, WOAC. Each line company has a company headquarters and four geographically dispersed, highly skilled platoons comprised of a warrant officer and fifteen NCOs. The platoons deploy in support of U. S. Army, DOD and federal agencies world wide and are capable of setting up, operating and repairing complete medium to high voltage power generation and distribution systems.
The battalion also manages the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Prime Power Loan Program. The loan program maintains an inventory of prime utility power generation, and distribution equipment to support military contingency plans. During peacetime, these assets are deployed to support high-priority electrical power requirements for the Army, DOD and other federal agencies. The loan program is self-sustaining and managed on a reimbursable basis from annual fees for each generator and per-engine hour charge. Prime Power Specialists from the battalion install the equipment, and train operators.
A Company, 249th Engineer Battalion(-), consisting of a company headquarters and two prime power platoons, is located at Ft. Lewis, WA. The company's remaining two platoons are located at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and Camp Humphreys, South Korea. The company's wartime mission is to support the 412th ENCOM. B Company, 249th Engineer Battalion (-), consisting of a company headquarters and three prime power platoons, is located at Ft. Bragg, NC. The company's remaining platoon is located at Thompkins Barracks, Germany. The company's wartime mission is to support the 416th ENCOM.
Each platoon has the capability to produce up to 3 megawatts of power at 4160 volts. The individual generator size is 750 kilowatts (kW). Each platoon can also produce 500 kilowatts of power at 120/208 volts. The 750 kW generators that produce 4160 volts require transformers to convert the voltage to a user level (120/208/277/480 volts). The battalion has limited 1600 kilovoltampere (kva) mobile substation assets and smaller transformer banks ranging from 225 kva to 150 kva. The battalion also maintains a limited amount of 5 to 15 kv cable to set up a medium voltage distribution system using the battalion's organic transformers.
Each platoon in the battalion is equipped with four 750 kilowatt (kw) generators, one 500 kw generator, and one 500 kilovolt-ampere substation. In addition, the battalion's Loan Program, which contains the Army's strategic reserves, has 13 4.5 megawatt generators, three 1,500 kw generators, along with five 500 kw and 33 750 kw generators.
During peacetime, the battalion relies heavily on installation support missions for training. The battalion offers a variety of services including: power production; transformer inspection and test analysis; maintenance and repair of power plants, substations, and government owned or managed transmission and distribution systems-, circuit breaker and relay maintenance; infrared surveys and training for personnel to operate and maintain prime power distribution and generation equipment.
The 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power) was orginally activated on 5 May 1943 at Camp Bowie, TXs, deployed to Europe, and was engaged in four major World War II campaigns. It inactivated on 27 November 1945 at Camp Patrick Henry, VA.
Redesignated on 23 March 1948 as the 442nd Engineer Battalion, Active Reserve Corps, the unit became affiliated with the Iowa State Highway Commission. It inactivated in May 1950 and returned to reserve status.
The unit was redesiganted on 25 June 1952 as the 249th Engineer Construction Battalion; and allocated on 9 December 1954 to the Regular Army. It reactivated on 9 February 1955 and was sent to Kaiserslautern, West Germany. It deployed in March 1960 to France on an airstrip mission, and returned in 1965 to West Germany. On 20 June 1975, it was redesignated as the 249th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy).
The unit depployed on 8 December 1990 to Southwest Asia in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and received the Meritorious Unit Commendation. It returned on 29 April 1991 Returned to Germany. The unit inactivated on 15 October 1991.
The unit reactivated on 18 November 1994 as the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power) at Fort Belvoir, VA.
