Ameresco-backed venture to build power project for military ocean facility in California

A gate at the front of a military base, with a green fence with barbed wire to the right of the gate.

Image | Courtesy of Google Maps The Military Ocean Terminal in Concord, California

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A joint venture including Framingham clean energy firm Ameresco has been awarded a contract to construct a backup power generation plant and underground transmission lines at a major military site in California.

The contract has been awarded to HSGS-Ameresco LLC, a joint venture between Ameresco and Hannah Solar Government Services, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business based in South Carolina, according to a press release issued Thursday. The cost of the project was not disclosed.

The project will include the construction of three generators, fuel storage tanks, and approximately 12,000 feet of underground duct work to provide back-up power to the Military Ocean Terminal in Concord, California. Construction is slated to start in January and is expected to be completed by early 2026.

The project is being funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program, which focuses on projects reducing costs and improving energy resilience for military-related endeavors.

"We're thrilled to be selected to construct and enhance the reliability of MOTCO's energy infrastructure," Dave McNeil, president and CEO of HSGS-Ameresco, said in the release. "We take great pride in providing the right and needed measures to supply energy resilience for this important military facility."

The joint venture between HSGS and Ameresco began in August 2021 as part of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Mentor Protégé Program, which was created to help small businesses win government contracts through partnerships by partnering with larger and more experienced companies like Ameresco, according to the release.

The announcement of this project is the latest in a string of high-profile projects for Ameresco; the company announced the acquisition of a California microgrid, a battery system to support Colorado’s energy infrastructure, and a partnership with an Ontario, Canada’s energy provider, among other endeavors in 2023. The company secured a $300-million loan in September to assist in funding climate-positive projects.