Marines

Power outages scheduled for housing communities

1 Sep 2011 | Lance Cpl. Victor Barrera Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

Power outages are scheduled to occur and will affect several housing communities aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

Brewster Boulevard is being expanded to add an extra east–bound and west–bound lane. Because of the expansion, power lines currently in place are being removed and a new set of power lines have been installed farther away from Brewster.

“The reason we’re expanding is to prepare for the bridge that is currently being built which will connect (Tarawa Terrace) to mainside and provide Marines with another entrance into base,” said Cmdr. Marc Delao with the Officer in Charge of Construction, Marine Corps Installations East.

Although the work could be done “hot”, a term for used when electricity is being pumped through power poles, Delao stated that outages are preferred as it is safer for the workers and saves time.

If done hot, it would take one to two days of work compared to a four hour outage. Additionally, a one to two hour outage would still be required as final work on the power lines cannot be done safely while the power lines are active.

 The work is scheduled to occur on two separate weekends. The first outage will occur from Charles Street to Stone Street and is slated for September 17 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. The second outage will affect Stone Street to Holcomb Boulevard and will occur Sept. 24 from 6 to 10 a.m. Both outages are on Saturdays and should take no more than 4 hours each.

“We chose Saturday so we don’t affect schools and other areas as much,” said Delao. “And the times were chosen because it was still early in the morning and many people are still asleep and hopefully the weather isn’t as bad in the morning as it is later on during the day.”

On the 17th, Heroes Manor housing, Heroes Elementary School, several Child Development Centers which are still under construction, the Fisher House, Lejeune High School and several buildings surrounding the Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune will be affected by the power outage.

“The naval hospital will be back fed power and will not lose power,” said Delao. “The Wounded Warrior Bachelor Enlisted Quarters will lose power, but it has a generator that will allow it to keep running.”

The power outage on the 24th, will affect Watkins Village, Berkley Manor, the middle school, the Russell Marine and Family Team Building Center and several building surrounding it and the C-store near the housing communities.

“The times we have chosen will have less effect on service members and their families,” said Delao. “Once it’s done everybody can get on with their day.”