Senior Engineer - Transmission Planning

Puget Sound Energy•Bellevue, WA

About The Position

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is seeking qualified candidates to fill an open Senior Engineer - Transmission Planning position. This role provides technical support for Transmission Strategy and Planning functions, including transmission planning, studies for generation interconnections and transmission requests, development and maintenance of inter-utility agreements, transmission operations analysis, and ensuring PSE compliance with NERC and FERC requirements. Assignments involve a substantial degree of complexity, requiring consideration of previously unencountered elements. The position also supports emergency response operations when needed. The role upholds safety compliance standards and promotes a culture of total safety. It requires conducting business honestly, ethically, and in accordance with core values and Code of Conduct, ensuring all duties are performed in compliance with regulatory obligations. This job is considered "safety sensitive" and is subject to pre-employment drug screening.

Requirements

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.

Nice To Haves

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.

Responsibilities

Perform transmission system impact studies and develop network upgrades necessary to support system reliability and performance.
Review customer applications for completeness and alignment with PSE’s technical requirements.
Attend customer scoping meetings as needed.
Develop transmission system models in consideration of applicable load and resource forecasts and expected system topology over a 10-year planning horizon.
Complete complex power system modeling, simulation, and analysis using advanced power system analysis programs, such as PowerWorld.
Analyze generation interconnection and transmission service requests, as well as PSE and regional transmission projects and operations.
Interpret available codes, standards, requirements, and guidelines for application to identified system needs and the development of network upgrade projects to address those needs.
Document study results for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Provide technical support in negotiating complex inter-utility agreements dealing with high-voltage transmission and new generating resource integration.
Ensure compliance with PSE’s Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT).
Facilitate public meetings related to PSE’s transmission plans.
Complete Economic Studies as requested.
Calculate and document Available Transmission Capacity in compliance with active transmission contracts and NAESB Business Practices.
Support the reporting of basecase information, load and resource forecasts, and other information to WECC, NERC, and FERC.
Participate in external committees such as those at NERC or WECC.
Represent PSE at appropriate regional transmission planning forums, such as those at NorthernGrid and Western Power Pool (WPP), as needed.
Engage directly with regional partners on issues of joint concern.
Ensure compliance with NERC and WECC Reliability Standards and Criteria applicable to the Transmission Planner and/or Planning Coordinator.
Ensure compliance with applicable FERC regulatory requirements as outlined in PSE’s Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT).
Coordinate with internal teams and participate in cross-departmental workgroups with Local Transmission System Planning, Transmission Strategy, Transmission Policy and Contracts, Load Forecasting, Substation Engineering, Electric Transmission Engineering, and System Protection, among others.
Serve as a technical support for the department and Company, providing advanced skills and knowledge where needed to solve technical issues.
Provide a detailed design review of internal or external technical documents.
Identify potential areas of weakness with assigned work, and initiate corrective action.
Document and share work with others to strengthen the depth and breadth of skills within PSE’s engineering workforce.
Maintains knowledge of industry developments and best practices and their application at PSE to further business objectives.
Support emergency response work as requested including immediate and extended restoration efforts driven by weather and other system failures.
May support 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.