Army Corps Awards Dominion $61.5M for Fort Hood Microgrid
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded Dominion Privatization Texas a $61.5 million contract Oct. 30 for the Phantom Warrior Microgrid at Fort Hood, ENR reports, with completion set for early May 2029.
Market Impact
Dominion Privatization Texas is a Dominion Energy subsidiary. The Phantom Warrior system pairs 3 MW of natural gas reciprocating generation, a 1.5-MW solar parking canopy and a 1-MW battery energy storage system, with automated switching and microgrid controls. It is designed to carry critical facilities for at least 14 days during a grid outage. The system serves about 2.9 MW of connected load, including 2.12 MW classified as critical, and ties into the installation’s 12.47-kV distribution system. The solar canopies go over parking areas behind Building 1001.
Automated switches will let portions of two distribution feeders separate from the larger system during an outage. The gas engines provide dispatchable power and set the voltage and frequency reference for the solar array. In normal conditions the engines stay disconnected while solar offsets demand.
The price has roughly doubled since early planning. Defense budget documents submitted in 2022 carried a $31.5 million cost. ENR says Dominion was named as the intended sole-source contractor when the Corps announced the procurement in May 2025. That relied on congressional authority for certain Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program projects at installations with privatized utilities.
This is Dominion’s second major Fort Hood microgrid award this year. In March it received $16.65 million for a microgrid serving the Network Enterprise Center, due for completion in October 2028. The Army is planning at least three more systems targeted for fiscal 2030:
- A natural gas distributed-generation system powering 32 mission-critical and essential facilities from the Clarke Road substation for at least 14 days
- A system at Yoakum-DeFrenn Army Heliport
- A system at North Fort Hood
ENR does not give solicitation or award dates for those three, or say who will build them.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Electrical and controls: The scope includes tie-in to the 12.47-kV distribution system, automated switching across two feeders and microgrid controls. Contact Dominion Privatization Texas now, ahead of the early May 2029 completion date, to get on its bid list. ENR does not say how Dominion will package subcontract work, so expect a mix of self-performed and subcontracted scopes, as is typical on utility-led builds.
- Civil and structural: The 1.5-MW solar canopy behind Building 1001 means foundations, steel and site work. Mechanical trades should look at the 3 MW of gas-fired reciprocating generation and its fuel supply. Pre-qualify with Dominion on safety records, insurance and federal-site access requirements.
- Second job at the same site: The $16.65 million Network Enterprise Center microgrid, due October 2028, runs on the same installation. A sub in place at Fort Hood for one project is better positioned for the other.
- Next solicitations: Set a SAM.gov search for Fort Hood, Clarke Road substation, Yoakum-DeFrenn and North Fort Hood microgrid notices. The fiscal 2030 targets are a long-lead pipeline, so the near-term step is registration and pre-qualification this quarter.
- Nationwide program: ENR reported in April that 14 firms won spots on a 10-year, $2 billion Corps contract for microgrid, battery storage, backup generation and electrical infrastructure at military installations. The Louisville District manages that program. Subs should contact those 14 firms about teaming.
