SYSTEM OPERATOR EIM - ASSOC - SR
About The Position
The System Operator EIM supports the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of El Paso Electric’s Energy Imbalance Market and generation resources. The role supports economic dispatch and reliable operation of EPE’s EIM Entity, generation, and balancing facilities during normal and emergency conditions. It implements energy schedules for generators, renewable resources, and variable energy resources within EPE’s Balancing Area, and uses reliability tools to assess anticipated normal and contingency conditions and develop responses to abnormal situations. The position supports compliance with NERC and WECC reliability standards while meeting western EIM, interchange, load, and generation needs as EPE’s Balancing Authority. The position is under the general supervision of the Supervisor Energy Imbalance Market. It requires constant monitoring of grid and generation conditions, coordinating energy schedules and dispatches, responding to emergencies, and communicating significant or abnormal system conditions to relevant operators and recipients. The role also supports reporting, operational planning, and compliance with company policies and applicable laws and regulations.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering or another analytical or technical field, with basic knowledge of electric theory or power systems; or an equivalent combination of related training and experience.
- NERC operator certification, or ability to obtain certification within six months of hire.
- Zero to five or more years of relevant experience; level will be determined based on total years of experience.
- Knowledge of electrical principles, procedures, and components; power system and power plant operations; power generation; alternating-current circuit fundamentals; and electrical safety policies and procedures.
- Ability to maintain awareness of system conditions, Local Marginal Prices, and congestion; anticipate contingencies; and take proactive steps to support system reliability and stability.
- Ability to use personal computers and applications such as Outlook, Excel, Word, and Teams, and to learn specialized applications including EIM applications, OMS, OATI, and EMS.
- Must pass a NERC BIT Certification exam and obtain NERC System Operator Certification within six months of hire.
- Ability to project current system conditions into future conditions and take appropriate action.
- Ability to monitor and rationally apply control-system principles to solve practical problems and handle variable situations with limited standardization.
- Fluent English communication with operating personnel responsible for real-time balancing, generation control, and operation of the EIM and interconnected Bulk Electric System.
- Ability to work 12-hour rotating shifts, including weekends, evenings, and holidays, and provide additional coverage when needed.
- Ability to build relationships and foster teamwork.
- Ability to travel for training, seminars, and industry-related meetings representing EPE.
- Effective verbal and written communication and three-part communication skills.
- Ability to maintain effective working relationships with officers, managers, fellow employees, and the general public.
- Ability to maintain discretion concerning confidential matters.
- Valid driver’s license and compliance with the Company’s Driving Program policy.
Responsibilities
- Monitor the Western Energy Imbalance Market as it relates to EPE’s Balancing Authority and maintain reliable operation of EPE generation facilities during normal and emergency conditions.
- Initiate appropriate actions during emergencies to return the system to safe and reliable operation.
- Coordinate and schedule energy resources with Power Marketing, the EIM Merchant, and real-time schedulers to meet system load requirements and EIM dispatches.
- Maintain the Outage Management System and update and monitor ambient derates; calculate scheduled and forced outage rates and forecast error.
- Operate the system minute by minute to match firm and interruptible resources to obligations, balance generation and transmission shares between utility companies and market entities, and verify metered flows from EPE to other utilities.
- Enter energy schedules for committed sales and purchases into EMS.
- Track unit commitment, manual dispatch, load bias, ETSRs, EIM and economic dispatch, and ensure generators operate under Automatic Generation Control.
- Use SCADA alarms, telemetry status, and system operating limits; monitor inadvertent flows, alarms, telemetry, and equipment status.
- Monitor generation alarms, telemetry, status, operating modes, ACE, frequency, and BAAL events.
- Assist with reports for management, other utilities, and reserve-sharing groups concerning disturbances, emergencies, and unusual operating conditions or actions.
- Comply with FERC Standards of Conduct.
- Provide significant system-event updates to appropriate recipients using EPE’s paging system.
- Communicate abnormal system conditions to the CAISO Real Time Market Operator.
- Review and approve Power Marketing’s daily Resource Plan and unit commitment.
- Track and make daily adjustments to primary inadvertent and perform time-error corrections when requested by the interchange authority.
- Comply with company policies, procedures, code of ethics, and applicable governmental laws and regulations, including employment, safety, and environmental requirements.
- Learn EPE Switching Standards of System Operations and applicable NERC and FERC reliability standards.
- Maintain a valid driver’s license and comply with the Company’s Driving Program policy.
- Perform other related tasks within the context of the defined duties.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
