AUGUST 8, 2026 — USAG Ansbach conducts an unannounced Black Start Exercise sometime between Aug. 15 – Sept. 15, 2026, resulting in power outages across all its installations.
A Black Start Exercise, or BSE, is a planned power outage where electricity to the installation is temporarily shut off to test and access the installation’s readiness and power resilience.
USAG Ansbach will conduct the exercise in two phases.
The first phase will be conducted on a single workday at Barton, Bismarck, Bleidorn, Katterbach, Shipton and Urlas Kasernes. Expect intermittent power throughout the day, with full restoration expected by late afternoon.
The second phase will be conducted two days later at Storck Barracks and Franken-Oberdachstetten Kaserne. Expect intermittent power throughout the day, with full restoration expected by late afternoon.
Congress legally requires all DoW installations to test their ability to operate without power during emergencies. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leads the implementation of these exercises across Army installations worldwide to ensure continuous mission-readiness during prolonged power outages.
The power outages are not expected to affect Army Family Housing, but they are intended to impact Soldiers’ barracks.
While all USAG Ansbach offices remain open, scheduled outages may impact garrison services. The following services — hand-selected so as to not disrupt your daily operations — will specifically NOT be impacted:
- Ansbach Elementary School and Ansbach Middle High School
- Child Development Center (CDC), School Age Center, Youth Center
- Commissary
- Exchange
- Shoppette and gas station
- Katterbach and Storck Fitness Centers
- Katterbach Bowling Center
- USO
- Vet Clinic
- Community Bank and Service Credit Union
- Dining Facilities (DFACs)
- All restaurants and coffee/food trucks
- Outdoor Recreation Center
Notifications and updates will be issued on the garrison’s Alert! mass notification system, as well as the USAG Ansbach app and Facebook page. To register in Alert!, visit https://go.mil/AnsbachAlert.
How to Prepare for a Power Outage
- Be Prepared for a Power Outage
- Eat Safe Food after a Power Outage
- Plan Ahead for Disasters | Ready.gov
- American Red Cross | Power Outage Safety
Traffic Safety
Be prepared for possible delays and use caution when driving. The outage may affect traffic signals. Approach intersections cautiously.
Garage Doors
Garage doors can be manually opened during a power outage.
- Ensure the door is not locked and there is nothing preventing it opening
- Unplug the power source to the garage door
- Pull the red emergency cable release cable to open and close the garage door
After Power Is Restored — Still No Power?
If you continue to have issues with power or water in government facilities (including barracks) after power is restored, call CIV 09641-70-587-1777, DSN 587-1777.
By USAG Ansbach Public Affairs