Transmission Planning Engineer, or Staff, or Senior Engineer

Responsibilities

• Support Regulatory Compliance and Model Validation Activities: Perform NERC TPL-001-5.1 compliance assessments, including extreme event analyses such as CIP-014 physical security risk assessments, wide-area event simulations, and black start restoration studies.
• Support dynamic model validation efforts per WECC and NERC MOD standards, ensuring fidelity of generator, inverter, and composite load models for stability studies.
• Conduct Advanced Inverter-Based Resource (IBR) Integration Studies: Assess grid-forming/grid-following inverter technologies and their impact on system strength, transient behavior, and control interactions. Apply IEEE 2800
• Address challenges of high renewable penetration and develop mitigation strategies to maintain bulk power system reliability.
• Support Western Interconnection and Regional Planning: Coordinate with WestConnect Planning Management Committee, WECC Reliability Subcommittees, and interconnection working groups to support transmission expansion planning, regional policy compliance, and reliability initiatives.
• Perform Resource Interconnection and Transmission Service Studies: Execute System Impact Studies (SIS) and Facility Studies consistent with FERC Order 2023 and regional tariffs.
• Evaluate interconnection requests for conventional generation, IBRs, storage, hybrid resources, and emerging technologies such as microgrids and aggregated DERs under FERC 2222 frameworks.
• Recommend necessary transmission reinforcements, upgrades, or operational solutions to accommodate new resources and loads.
• Evaluate Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs): Analyze and model Dynamic Line Rating (DLR), Advanced Power Flow Controllers (APFC), and Topology Optimization (TTO) to maximize transmission efficiency and capacity without traditional infrastructure expansion.
• Support cost-benefit assessments and pilot project implementations for GETs in collaboration with operations and asset management teams.
• Present findings at regional stakeholder meetings, industry conferences (e.g., IEEE PES, CIGRÉ), and technical workshops to communicate planning approaches and emerging challenges.
• Lead internal technical workshops and contribute to the development of best-in-class planning documentation and standards.
• Support development of capital budgets, conceptual transmission projects, and economic analyses in joint planning contexts.
• Under the direction of higher-level engineer or supervisor: performs model development, modeling reviews, design, and analysis of Xcel Energy assets using PSSE, PSLF, TARA, DSA Tools or similar software Develops study documentation and may assist with the development of procedures.