You are currently viewing Quonset Point Donation Will Help Keep Mystic Aquarium’s Belugas Cool
From left, EB’s Chris Logan and Russ Tatro admire Juno, one of the Mystic Aquarium’s beluga whales. Alongside are Keith Sorensen, the aquarium’s senior vice president of facilities and capital projects; Eric Bemont, senior director of facilities; and Rob Gray, senior HVAC technician.

Juno, the Mystic Aquarium’s convivial, photo-bombing Beluga whale, will continue swimming in cool comfort thanks to an unlikely chain of events that began 40 miles east in an Electric Boat industrial building at Quonset Point.

That’s where EB’s Russ Tatro and Chris Logan were going over plans with a vendor, Carrier Corp., to replace Building 60’s aging chiller, which had run its course and was destined for the scrapyard. A rental unit was serving the building’s needs temporarily.

The meeting wrapped up and the Carrier team headed to its next stop, the Mystic Aquarium. There, they found an identical chiller in use, outdated and sorely in need of spare parts. A few phone calls later it became apparent that parts from Building 60’s chiller could become critical spares for the system that keeps Juno and his friends swimming in cold 55-degree water on even the hottest summer days.

Logan and Tatro set to work, navigating the processes needed to make the donation happen. EB President Mark Rayha ultimately signed the paperwork.

Tatro and Logan said the donation included the integrated control board – “the brains of the operation.” Since that type of chiller is no longer manufactured, parts have become increasingly hard to come by.

The aquarium said its chiller system has been in service for 30 years, serving both the beluga’s Arctic Coast habitat and the seals’ and sea lions’ Pacific Northwest habitat.

“Mystic Aquarium is grateful to the EB team for their generous donation and to the Carrier Corporation team for identifying the equipment as a direct replacement and facilitating the donation,” the aquarium said.

Mystic Aquarium and Electric Boat are partners in an initiative to advance STEM education, workforce development and recruitment, and conservation throughout the region.

Logan, an area superintendent, and Tatro, a facilities program rep specialist, met up recently with aquarium officials Keith Sorenson, Eric Bemont and Rob Gray Sr. in front of the beluga habitat, with Juno front-and-center for photos.

From left, EB’s Chris Logan and Russ Tatro, along with Keith Sorensen, the aquarium’s senior vice president of facilities and capital projects; Eric Bemont, senior director of facilities; and Rob Gray, senior HVAC technician.

EB Supports 45th Annual MLK Scholarship Awards

Electric Boat was proud to serve as a scholarship sponsor for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Trust Fund at its 45th Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner. More than 600 community members gathered to celebrate this year’s extraordinary cohort of 2026 MLK Scholars. These 13 outstanding students were recognized for their academic excellence, leadership, character,...Continue reading→

Building the Future: EB’s New Central Distribution Hub

In April, Electric Boat (EB) began construction on the new central distribution hub for its warehousing, shipping, and receiving operations at 45 Frontage Road in North Stonington, CT. Since then, the 480,000‑square‑foot next‑generation warehouse facility has quickly taken shape. All wall panels are now complete, and construction is ahead of schedule. The facility will celebrate...Continue reading→

Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks Start of USS Groton Sail Monument

Fifty years after the USS Groton (SSN‑694) first launched, dozens gathered outside the Groton Public Library Oct. 9 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the USS Groton Sail Monument. The $6.6 million project—three decades in the making—will honor the men and women who design, build, operate and maintain the Navy’s submarines, as well as the families...Continue reading→

A Celebration of Heart, Community and Victory

2026 American Heart Association Eastern Connecticut Heart Walk Recap Saturday, October 3, 2026 | UConn Avery Point The 2026 American Heart Association Eastern Connecticut Heart Walk at UConn Avery Point was nothing short of extraordinary. Under bright autumn skies, 26 incredible Electric Boat teams and 151 walkers came together with passion, purpose, and unstoppable energy...Continue reading→

Electric Boat Joins Regional Leaders for Military Appreciation Breakfast

Electric Boat employees joined military and community leaders for the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut’s annual Military Appreciation Breakfast on Sept. 30 at Ocean Beach Park’s Port ‘N’ Starboard. The event provided more than 120 complimentary seats to active-duty service members from the Navy, Coast Guard and Connecticut National Guard. General Dynamics Electric Boat...Continue reading→