In today’s interconnected world, the ability to recover swiftly from disruptions marks the difference between thriving and faltering. Among the most advanced strategies for preparedness is the Black Start exercise, a large-scale simulation that tests how critical systems restart following a catastrophic power outage. Leaders across sectors, from military to energy to research, already embrace these drills. Your organization should be next.

What Is a Black Start Exercise?

Black Start refers to restarting power systems from a shutdown without relying on external grid electricity. But the value goes beyond utilities. A Black Start exercise simulates this recovery process not just for technical systems, but also for operational coordination, human decision-making, and cross-sector collaboration.

These exercises test whether an organization can autonomously restart critical infrastructure, often under real-world pressure, ensuring mission continuity when systems fail.

Real-Life Examples of Black Start Exercises

1. Fort McCoy (Wisconsin, USA)

On September 10, 2024, Fort McCoy conducted an eight-hour no-notice Black Start drill, cutting power to the installation at 8:06 a.m. and relying solely on emergency standby generators. The exercise enabled staff to validate planning documents, assess critical infrastructure, and identify readiness gaps for vital missions during power loss.

2. Defense Supply Center Columbus (Ohio, USA)

On October 23, 2024, DSCC ran a full-scale readiness drill simulating a damaged power distribution network. All campus buildings lost power, evaluating backup generators, evacuation protocols, personnel accountability, and continuity of operations across tenant organizations.

3. Fort Buchanan (Puerto Rico, USA)

On May 7, 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assessed energy resilience at Fort Buchanan. Despite a simulated eight-hour blackout, critical facilities including the health clinic, commissary, and welcome center remained fully operational thanks to proven generator readiness and seamless coordination.

4. Fort Stewart–Hunter Army Airfield (Georgia, USA)

In March 2025, a two-hour power outage drill was conducted at Hunter Army Airfield as part of preparation for a later Black Start exercise. The simulation tested emergency operations, security protocols, communications, and crisis response across the multi-site installation.

5. U.S. Department of Defense Macro Exercises

According to a 2024 DoD and industry information paper, the Department of Defense has conducted five Black Start exercises at military installations, one of the largest being at Fort Bragg. These real-world drills disconnect from the commercial grid, restart internal energy systems, test critical mission load continuity, then reconnect back to the external grid.

6. DARPA’s RADICS Project (Plum Island)

In 2018, DARPA staged a week-long realistic blackout at Plum Island, simulating cyberattacks that tripped substations and plunged operations into darkness. Over 100 grid and cybersecurity experts scrambled to restore power using seven specialized toolkits while synchronizing multiple utilities under harsh weather and adversarial conditions.

Why the World’s Largest Organizations Lead in Preparedness

These institutions lead because they view resilience as a strategic asset:

Protecting Critical Infrastructure
Military bases and national centers conduct drills to ensure continuity of security operations, healthcare, supply chain integrity, and command functions.

Testing the Unthinkable
Whether forced outages or cyber-driven blackouts, these exercises put teams under high-pressure, real-time scenarios far beyond tabletop simulations.

Cross-Sector Collaboration
Agencies like DOE, FEMA, and DoD collaboratively conduct tabletop and live drills. The Fort Buchanan example in Puerto Rico shows multi-agency coordination in action.

Regulatory and Mission Imperatives
Black Start exercises are mandated by Congress for Department of Defense installations, underscoring their necessity in national readiness planning.

Why Your Organization Should Be Next

If major military and federal organizations prioritize these drills, so should you:

• Identify operational vulnerabilities before disaster strikes
• Build decision-making muscle memory under pressure
• Strengthen cross-stakeholder readiness from operations to leadership
• Demonstrate resilient leadership to regulators, clients, and ESG-focused investors
• Mitigate risks that are more expensive to manage during crises

At EIS Council, we are connecting organizations with tailored Black Start exercises. Our drills simulate real-world failure conditions, enabling participants to test internal and external coordination, identify interdependencies across systems, and gain strategic insights through after-action reviews.

Organizations across healthcare, utilities, transportation, and finance have already participated, and the impact speaks for itself.

Ready to Lead in Resilience?

With threats mounting, from cyberattacks to climate-induced outages, preparedness demands proactive action. The world’s most resilient organizations are not waiting for failure; they are training for it.

Will your organization be ready when it counts? Join EIS Council’s Blackstart Webinar #2: The Challenges and Opportunities of Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs) for Grid Stability, Resilience, and Blackstart. Click to register and stand alongside global leaders in resilience.