• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

MUSE Team Provides Power to GTMO

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100330-07
Release Date: 3/30/2010 11:28:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Erica R. Gardner, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (NNS) -- Mobile Utilities Support Equipment (MUSE) technicians of Port Hueneme, Calif., recently deployed to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) to augment MUSE equipment to the base power plant to meet the needs of Public Works while annual power generation maintenance is performed.

"We were contacted in January to help with the power supply for the residents of Guantanamo Bay," said Construction Electrician 1st Class Tim Duvall. "We have been asked to assist in these types of situations many times."

Duvall is one of six Seabee MUSE technicians deployed to the base, tasked to provide additional power support to the base during the maintenance of current power generators and conduct annual routine inspections on five 1500kW existing MUSE generators that have supported the base for years. These generators make up a third of the current generators the base is operated on.

The team has installed four generators on the base during the past eight weeks, preparing to supplement the base power plant.

Due to the recent increase in activity aboard GTMO (for missions such as Operation Unified Response Haiti), MUSE gear will maintain reliable power generation during the planned maintenance shutdowns. The MUSE team is currently installing, testing and calibrating the generators for the power grid, ensuring no shortage in power generation will exist.

MUSE personnel have more than 16 months of specialized power generation training in addition to their Seabee construction rate core training. MUSE has a $200 million inventory, with power generation, transformation, and steam generating equipment to support worldwide Navy and Department of Defense utility shortfalls and emergencies.

"Wherever we deploy, we train the local electricians of the base on the basic mechanics of the power plants," said Duvall. "If there are ever any issues they cannot correct, we will be there to assist them."