Senior Engineer - Transmission and Asset Integration

Job Description

This position supports PSE’s Energy Supply Merchant organization by providing engineering, technical, and analytical support for merchant transmission portfolio management, asset integration, transmission service strategy, contract administration, capacity optimization, and regional transmission activities. The Senior Engineer works collaboratively with Resource Acquisition, Resource Development, Electric Resource Planning, PSE Transmission, and other internal stakeholders.

The role supports the evaluation, acquisition, optimization, and implementation of transmission rights and services needed to deliver PSE’s generation resources, power purchase agreements, tolling agreements, and other portfolio resources. This includes supporting transmission service requests, generator interconnection and affected system coordination, transmission provider engagement, asset integration, operational readiness activities, and analysis related to regional market and transmission policy developments.

Upholds the safety compliance standards inherent in PSE’s operating and/or field procedures related to work responsibilities. Promotes and supports a culture of total safety.

Demonstrates commitment to conduct business honestly, ethically and consistent with our core values and Code of Conduct.  Ensures duties are performed in accordance with all regulatory compliance obligations.

This job is considered “safety sensitive” as defined in RCW 49.44.240 and is subject to pre-employment drug screening that includes screening for the presence of marijuana and marijuana metabolites.

Job Responsibilities

• Provides engineering, technical, and analytical support for the management, optimization, and administration of PSE’s merchant transmission portfolio across planning, procurement, integration, and operational time horizons.
• Develops and implements merchant transmission strategies needed to deliver portfolio resources in a reliable and cost-effective manner.
• Evaluates transmission availability, deliverability, curtailment risk, congestion exposure, outage and derate impacts, contract rights, service options, and transmission constraints to support portfolio planning, resource acquisition, trading, and scheduling.
• Provides subject matter expertise on FERC Open Access Transmission Tariff, transmission provider business practices, BPA and regional transmission processes, generator interconnection including LGIP/LGIA requirements, and applicable commercial transmission rules.
• Develops, submits, and tracks transmission service requests, generator interconnection requests, renewals, redirects, modifications, and related transmission provider processes from studies to award.
• Supports asset integration for new generation resources, PPAs, tolling agreements, battery storage resources, and other contracted or owned resources, including transmission service implementation, LGIP/LGIA requirements, source/sink setup, adjacencies, pseudo-tie requirements, scheduling readiness, and operational handoffs.
• Supports resource acquisition and self-build project development by evaluating transmission and interconnection service requirements, delivery assumptions, transmission cost and risk considerations, and potential constraints associated with proposed resources.
• Coordinates with internal stakeholders and external transmission providers to support transmission-related decisions, documentation, implementation, and issue resolution.
• Monitors and analyzes regional transmission, tariff and policy that may affect transmission access, portfolio deliverability, costs, congestion, curtailment or merchant transmission strategy.
• Develops and maintains analytical tools, datasets, reports, and documentation to support merchant transmission strategy, portfolio tracking, scenario analysis, procurement decisions, asset integration, and operational readiness.
• Participates in external meetings, stakeholder processes, and transmission provider discussions as assigned, and communicate implications to internal stakeholders.
• May lead or coordinate the work of junior engineers, engineering assistants, field technicians, and others who assist on specific projects. (This includes contractor/consultants.)
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree or PE license in electrical, mechanical, civil or other appropriate engineering field. A PE license may qualify in lieu of a degree.
• Substantial experience in planning, design, specification preparation, technical field work, project cost estimating and scheduling (typically achieved after eight (8) or more years practice as a degreed engineer). Years of acquired experience is provided as a guide and alone does not constitute readiness for job level as individual’s skill acquisition rates can vary significantly.
• Demonstrated organization, documentation, prioritization, and project management skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience working in the utility industry.
• Possession of a Professional Engineering license.
• Knowledge of engineering economics and utility accounting practices.
• Experience working on complex engineering projects.
• Experience using PowerWorld or other powerflow software.
• Working knowledge of merchant transmission portfolio management, transmission service rights, transmission procurement, and energy delivery requirements for generation resources.
• Experience with FERC Open Access Transmission Tariffs, transmission provider business practices, Bonneville Power Administration transmission processes, and regional transmission provider coordination.
• Experience supporting transmission service requests, generator interconnection processes, affected-system coordination, transmission planning studies, or resource integration activities.
• Understanding of power markets, balancing authority operations, scheduling, E-Tagging, pseudo-ties, resource designation, congestion, curtailment, transmission optimization concepts, OATI tools, and NAESB standards.
• Experience participating in external stakeholder processes, transmission provider discussions or regional transmission forums.

Additional Information