Principal Substation Engineer - Power Plant

NextEra Energy•Juno Beach, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Principal Substation Engineer – Power Plant is responsible for the engineering, design, integration, and technical oversight of high and medium voltage substations directly supporting natural gas fired power plants, including combined cycle (CC), simple cycle, and peaking facilities. This role requires hands on experience coordinating generator step up transformers (GSUs), plant auxiliaries, protection and control systems, and transmission interconnections to ensure safe, reliable, and code compliant operation of dispatchable generation assets.

Requirements

Bachelor’s - Engineering
Experience: 7+ years

Nice To Haves

10+ years of substation engineering experience, with direct experience on natural gas power plants.
Demonstrated experience with GSU based substations for thermal generation.
Strong familiarity with plant electrical systems and operating constraints.
Working knowledge of applicable electrical codes and standards.
Ability to interface with EPCs, OEMs, utilities, and internal plant stakeholders.
Professional Engineer (PE) license.
Experience with combined cycle plants (1×0, 2×0, 2×1, 3×1, etc.).
Experience supporting existing operating plants (brownfield modifications, uprates, retrofits).
Familiarity with NERC compliance as it relates to generation and substations.
Experience with outage work, reliability improvement projects, or fleet standardization.

Responsibilities

Engineer and review plant switchyards and substations (typically 13.8 kV, 18 kV, 22 kV, 34.5 kV, 115–500 kV) supporting natural gas generating units.
Design and review GSU configurations, including bus arrangements, grounding, protection zones, and insulation coordination.
Develop single line diagrams, three line diagrams, schematics, wiring diagrams, and equipment layouts specific to thermal power plants.
Specify and apply: Power transformers (GSU, UAT, SAT), Circuit breakers, disconnects, CTs, VTs, surge arresters, Station service and auxiliary power systems.
Write, conform and adapt Engineer of Record (EOR), Engineering Consultant, Early Stage Engineering, Construction, Engineer/Procure/Construct (EPC) and Owner furnished equipment specifications and other technical contract documents as needed for each project to put contracts in place.
Review Engineer of Record (EOR), Engineering Consultant, Early-Stage Engineering, Contractor, Engineer/Procure/Construct (EPC) and Owner furnished equipment deliverables for contract compliance, adequacy, and completeness.
Work with company purchasing department to ensure that purchase orders adequately define the specified requirements and contracts are put in place.
Coordinate substation interfaces with: Gas turbine generators (CTG), Steam turbine generators (STG), HRSG auxiliaries and balance of plant (BOP) systems.
Support generator grounding, neutral grounding resistors/transformers, and plant grounding studies.
Interface substation protection schemes with plant DCS, SCADA, and plant control systems.
Support black start, fast start, and grid support operating modes where applicable.
Coordinate/support islanded/behind the meter power supply to data centers in combination with BESS.
Review or develop protection and control philosophies applicable to plant substations: Generator, GSU, and bus protection, Breaker failure and transfer trip schemes.
Review or support electrical studies including: Short circuit, load flow, arc flash, Insulation coordination and surge arrester selection, Grounding and step and touch analysis.
Support ISO/RTO and utility interconnection requirements (e.g., NERC, regional transmission owner standards).
Coordinate with transmission owners, EPCs, OEMs, and commissioning teams.
Ensure compliance with: IEEE, NESC, NEC, NFPA 850, NERC PRC standards, Owner and transmission owner design criteria.
Provide engineering support during construction, testing, and commissioning.
Review submittals, RFIs, design changes, and as built documentation.
Support energization, synchronization, and outage planning activities.
Demonstrates a high degree of creativity, foresight, and mature judgment in planning, organizing, and guiding extensive engineering programs and activities.
Manages one or more programs of complex diversity and scope which are of critical importance to overall company objectives.
Acts as a subject matter expert.
Performs other job-related duties as assigned