HV TECH I

EDP Energias de Portugal S.A.•Cantua Creek, CA, CA

About The Position

The High Voltage Technician provides electrical, high-voltage, and substation emergency response to operating wind farms across the Company, with a primary focus on an assigned region. The technician leads maintenance, service, and repair of high-voltage assets alongside other technicians and HV Reliability Engineers. The role includes regional support, testing and repair work, switching and construction activities, commissioning support, substation and transmission inspections, emergency response, equipment calibration, and detailed reporting. It requires 24/7 emergency response availability and approximately 30% travel.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent, plus continuing education in the electro-mechanical field.
At least 5 years of relevant technical experience; power generation or distribution experience is preferred.
Qualifications necessary to operate high-voltage equipment.
Strong knowledge of medium- and high-voltage substation electrical equipment, collection systems, transmission design, and operations.
Familiarity with electronic communication systems (SCADA).
Familiarity with Order to Operate (OTO) and Lock-Out Tag-Out (LOTO) procedures.
Ability to operate a motor vehicle and a valid driver's license.
Strong problem-solving ability and capacity to work with minimal supervision.
Ability to multitask in a complex, dynamic environment and perform basic electrical mathematical calculations.
Ability to read and understand engineering and construction plans, specifications, drawings, and documents, including one-line, three-line, and wiring diagrams.
Ability to work with crews performing high-line maintenance and repair.
Familiarity with capacitor banks, transformer load tap changers, and motor-operated air breaks.
Willingness and ability to travel at least 30% and respond to site emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as needed.
Ability to frequently perform physical tasks such as standing, sitting, walking, kneeling, bending, twisting, squatting, and reaching; on wind farm sites these activities are required approximately 75% of the time.
Ability to stand and sit for 8 or more hours in an office environment.
Ability to walk 0.25 to 0.5 miles per day, including across unpaved and rough surfaces at wind farm sites.
Ability to speak, read, and write English proficiently and deliver instructions in written, verbal, diagram, or schedule form.
Ability to frequently lift up to 60 pounds and occasionally lift between 60 and 100 pounds.
Ability to climb turbine towers exceeding 100 meters in height to access work areas.
Weight must not exceed 275 pounds, excluding equipment or gear worn for job-related tasks, in accordance with ANSI Fall Protection Standards.
Ability to interpret and follow instructions in written, verbal, diagram, or schedule form.
Ability to work in adverse weather conditions 25% of the time while on wind farm sites.
Ability to understand and communicate safety precautions when necessary.

Nice To Haves

Power generation or distribution experience.
Familiarity with power factor test sets, AC/DC hi-pots, low-resistance ohm meters, and transformer turns ratio test units.
Understanding of Microsoft products and/or complementary products.
Competency in analytical problem solving, strong communication, customer/partner relationships, and technology expertise.

Responsibilities

Monitor and provide electrical, high-voltage, and substation support to operating wind farms in an assigned region, including 24/7 on-call support.
Perform testing, repairs, switching, and construction activities as requested.
Provide technical expertise for commissioning, start-up, and initial operating activities.
Maintain the high-voltage spare parts inventory and warehouse.
Perform high-voltage switching of step-up transformers, feeder breakers, gang-operated switches, and related components.
Operate heavy machinery, including bucket/line trucks, forklifts, aerial lifts, and overhead cranes.
Analyze and report on infrared inspections, battery maintenance, and dielectric oil and SF6 sampling.
Lead substation maintenance through Orders to Operate (OTOs) and outage planning.
Perform substation and transmission inspections in accordance with NERC compliance requirements.
Work with site Operations Managers to support day-to-day reliability.
Serve as the first responder for emergency and routine repairs on high-voltage equipment, including transmission lines, high-voltage cable terminations, and splices.
Provide remote high-voltage support to HV Reliability Engineers for complex troubleshooting, component testing, and proof checking.
Ensure adherence to pertinent high-voltage OSHA safety requirements.
Provide detailed written reports to management, including root cause analyses.
Maintain the high-voltage vehicle in ready-to-respond order.
Perform critical high-voltage test equipment calibrations.
Perform additional duties as required.