 The ship was moored in Gatun Lake, between the Gatun Locks and the Chagres dam spillway.Beginning in October 1968 the 10 MW electrical power produced by the MH-1A plant aboard the "Sturgis" allowed it to replace the power from the Gatun Hydroelectric Station, which freed the lake water for navigation use.To help out further, the "Andrew J. Weber", a diesel-fueled power barge of 20 MW capacity, was deployed to the Canal Zone in November 1968.