Two Perkins-powered gen-sets provide critical life support to over 20 million salmon eggs and fry

On any day of the week, you'll find Mike McMann brooding over 20 million fish eggs and fry at the Little Bear Bay salmon hatchery on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. He's responsible for taking care of them until they're big enough to move on to the open water rearing pens where they'll quickly grow to tasty 10 lb. table fare.

Located almost 20 miles off the power grid up a long, hard gravel road in the remote Campbell River area, the hatchery depends on a pair of 166 kW gen-sets to meet its electrical demands. McMann is hatchery manager at Little Bear Bay, and dependable power is an absolute necessity to his success.

The hatchery is located just a few feet from the Pacific Ocean beach at the mouth of sparkling Pye Creek. Pye Creek's clear waters circulate through the hatchery and make it possible.