SYSTEM OPERATOR BA-ASSOC-STAFF

El Paso Electric Company•El Paso, TX

4d•$70,100 - $93,788

About The Position

Under the general supervision of the BA Reliability Supervisor, the System Operator is responsible for the economic dispatch and reliable operation of EPE’s generation facilities during normal and emergency system conditions. The role implements energy schedules, operates the phase shifter, issues switching orders for generators within EPE’s Balancing Area, processes Real Time Electronic tags (ETags), and coordinates real-time energy and transmission schedules. The operator also maintains and updates the generator outage database and calculates forced outage rates and forecast error. The position complies with NERC and WECC reliability standards while meeting interchange, load, and generation needs as EPE’s Balancing Authority. The role requires an associate’s degree in Engineering or another analytical/technical field with basic knowledge of electric theory or power systems, or an equivalent combination of related training and experience. NERC operator certification is required, or the ability to obtain it within six months of hire. Candidates need 0–5 years or more of experience and are expected to work rotating 12-hour shifts and/or irregular and long hours as required. Travel for training, seminars, and industry-related meetings may be required.

Requirements

Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering or another analytical/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; must pass the NERC Certification exam and obtain NERC System Operator Certification within six months of hire.
0–5 years or more of experience required.
Experience with a utility company in energy or transmission scheduling or dispatch and related System Operations functions.
Intermediate knowledge of electrical principles, procedures, and components; power system operations, including power plant operations; alternating current circuit fundamentals; and electrical safety policies and procedures.
Knowledge of power system operations and WECC, NERC, and FERC-mandated industry practices, interchange scheduling, and contract and tariff administration.
Broad knowledge of energy flows, interchange, accounting practices, data analysis, and research techniques.
Understanding of the regulatory process and issues affecting control areas and transmission providers.
Ability to learn forecasting and research techniques, interpret transmission contracts, administer transmission tariffs, perform data analysis, and develop an in-depth understanding of the electric regulatory process and issues affecting control areas and transmission providers.
Ability to make presentations and teach developments in the electric utility field to System Controllers and others.
Ability to operate a personal computer, EMS, and software applications used in energy and transmission scheduling and balancing.
Availability to work rotating 12-hour shifts and/or irregular and long hours as required.
Ability to project current system conditions into the future and take appropriate action; apply control-system principles to solve practical problems and handle variable situations with limited standardization.
Ability to travel for training, seminars, and industry-related meetings.
Ability to work under high-stress conditions and make critical decisions in a timely manner.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to maintain effective working relationships with officers, managers, fellow employees, and the general public.
Ability to maintain propriety concerning confidential matters.

Responsibilities

Perform real-time energy scheduling by verifying and coordinating E-Tags and system resource schedules prepared by the company’s marketing department.
Review and approve short-term transmission reservations made through OASIS in real time.
Cross-reference E-Tag transmission profiles to OASIS transactions to ensure customer transmission usage agrees with transmission sales terms.
Reconcile and load schedules to the real-time Scheduling System, and assist in developing and implementing accounting methods to confirm and record transactions for control-area, contract-compliance, and billing requirements.
Monitor daily interchange, tie-line meters, and inadvertent interchange; check data accuracy and system operating efficiency; and resolve interchange scheduling disputes with utilities and power marketing entities.
Communicate with outside System Controllers, Schedulers, and transaction parties to balance schedules.
Ensure compliance with transmission sales contracts and terms; monitor transmission rates and capacities; and post curtailment data on OASIS.
Dispatch and operate EPE’s generation facilities reliably during normal and emergency system conditions, taking appropriate action during emergencies to restore safe and reliable operation.
Coordinate with the Power Marketing Department and real-time schedulers to schedule energy resources to meet system load requirements, and enter committed sales and purchases into EMS.
Track unit commitment and economic dispatch, and ensure generators operate under Automatic Generation Control (AGC).
Issue switching orders to bring online EPE local generators or Southern New Mexico generators operating within the EPE Balancing Area.
Maintain and update the generator outage database and calculate forced outage rates and forecast error.
Monitor generation conditions through alarms, telemetry, status, and modes of operation.
Adhere to FERC rules and regulations regarding Standards of Conduct, company policies and procedures, the code of ethics, and applicable governmental, employment, safety, and environmental requirements.
Perform other related tasks within the context of the defined duties.