Fort Riley will conduct an energy resilience readiness exercise, referred to as Black Start, on Wednesday of this week.

According to the Army, Black Start is designed to test the installation’s emergency and standby energy generation systems, key infrastructure, and equipment.

Congress has mandated that the Department of Defense services test the ability to operate without power in an emergency. Senior officials will learn from exercise outcomes about the infrastructure needs for crucial installation missions in the event of a power loss.  

 The exercise will start at 4 a.m. and continue until 1 p.m. Many facilities can expect power to start returning within 30 minutes to two hours after the initial blackout.  

 The Black Start Exercise will be rolled into Fort Riley’s annual full-scale exercise which tests the post’s emergency preparedness and provides training for the post and community partners involved in the exercise.

 In addition to the planned power outage, residents, employees, and community members can expect an increase in emergency response traffic on Fort Riley and multiple emergency notifications, including “Giant Voice” loudspeaker announcements.    

 More information about the Black Start Exercise, including frequently asked questions and preparedness tips, can be found at https://home.army.mil/riley/index.php/about/Black-Start-Exercise.