Staff CEHE Engineer, Electric

Job Summary

This position monitors the power quality of CenterPoint Energy’s high voltage transmission system. This position will analyze system events for power quality concerns and develop mitigation strategies as needed. The person in this position must be able to review scheduled system changes and asses their viability, drive to various service centers around the greater Houston area, and have a flexible availability to support Real-Time Operations and system conditions change.

Essential Functions

• Disseminate information of CNP standards and specifications and provide technical assistance to the transmission teams and customers.
• Use historic data to analyze circuit loading, identify operating issues and make reliability and operational recommendations for the transmission system.
• Utilize engineering tools to identify potential reliability issues, equipment failures, report findings and form recommendations for solutions.
• Utilize software to perform engineering studies.
• Gathers information and compiles data from multiple sources (SAP, GIS, Transmission Systems) to construct electrical models or perform other analysis.
• Identify unbalanced circuits and notify S/C personnel to take corrective action.
• Aid other engineering groups with the investigations of voltage issues/complaints.
• Develop standards on reliability practices and investigations.
• Generate various engineering reports.
• Analyze data and make recommendations to improve circuit performance.
• Field inspections to identity operations issues that are causing reliability problems.
• Various teams/task forces/special projects.
• Performs engineering studies to analyze and respond to requests, special studies, etc.
• Work with equipment vendors to resolve material issues or identify new technologies and products
• Perform a variety of engineering tasks such as analyze system performance using monitoring equipment and other engineering tools to identify issues and develop solutions.
• Analyze system outage requests and project coordination to study the impacts under first contingency events as per CenterPoint Energy, ERCOT, and NERC guidelines.
• Maintain current and future projects list including expected in service dates.

Essential Functions cont.

• Coordinate schedules for network changes.
• Review and analyze long term and daily switching schedules.
• Review and provide input to appropriate entities regarding preliminary project scopes and designs in regards to possible Real Time operational impacts.
• Update project one-lines, internal drawings and system-wide one-lines utilizing CAD software.
• Work closely with Transmission Planning, Transmission Operations, Substation Operations, System Protection, Transmission Accounts, and Control Systems to analyze and provide input on proposed project designs in order to accomplish the following tasks:
  • Research and determine project parameters such as; equipment changes, ratings, impedances, connectivity, construction sequence, projected in service dates, etc.
  • Use electrical system modeling software to update CenterPoint Energy’s portion of the ERCOT Network Operations Model per ERCOT Protocols.
  • Develop and submit to ERCOT as per Protocol requirements Network Operations Model Change Request (NOMCR). Monitor NOMCR’s submitted to ensure accurate implementation. Respond to ERCOT inquiries regarding submitted NOMCR’s.
• Support Real Time Operations and respond to system emergencies on a 24/7 basis, as required.

Education Description

• Requires a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited college or university.  

Experience

• Eight or more years of relevant work experience 
• Ability to negotiate with others to act on multiple conflicting requests with regard to system activities to minimize system interruptions and protect system personnel and equipment.
• Ability to coordinate and communicate planned outage schedule priorities to management and personnel of various departments.
• Knowledgeable in power flow and security analysis programs for analyzing system outage requests.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Power Point & Excel.  Working knowledge of Microstation or Autocad.  
• Above average grammatical skills required.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle – TDL required. 
• Periodic field trips to substations, transmission right-of-ways and construction sites required.
• Able to demonstrate the company’s core values: integrity, accountability, initiative and respect.
• Able to demonstrate commitment to compliance with applicable laws and regulations, the Company’s Ethics and Compliance Code of Conduct, and other Company policies and procedures and do so consistently, take all required training courses and do so timely.

Working Conditions

• Work in a fast paced environment with high daily pressure to meet deadlines.
• Provide on-call support 24 hours on occasion.
• Perform work indoors in an office environment and outdoors as needed.
• Respond to emergency calls and/or call-outs and return to work while off duty.
• Work a varied schedule to complete projects and meet deadlines in response to changing demands.
• Travel for installations, inspections and/or investigations in field locations, attend or conduct training,  visit manufacturing facilities and/or attend regulatory hearings, industry or professional association conferences and/or other meetings (with customers, vendors, contractors, communities, etc.) and stay overnight as required.
• May be required to remain in the service area during emergency events and assume responsibilities assigned by the company to in restoration efforts.

Physical Requirements

• Communicate orally in a clear manner.
• Hear oral communication either in person or on equipment such as telephone, mobile phone or radio.
• Bend, stoop, kneel, crouch and/or reach repeatedly, on a daily basis.
• Distinguish between colors.
• Demonstrate the dexterity to operate a personal computer, either desktop or laptop, and common office equipment such as telephone, photocopier, fax machine, calculator, laptop, mobile phone, etc.
• Able to reach, grasp and move items.
• Able to sit, stand, view a personal computer monitor/laptop screen, or use a mobile phone for extended periods of time.
• Able to operate a motor vehicle, including ability to enter and exit the vehicle unassisted.
• Ability to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a minimal amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.