Planning Engineer - Chugach Electric Association

Job Description

Summary 

To assist in the development programs, procedures, and work processes that lead the Association toward maximizing economic return. Participate in the development of long-range engineering plans. Assist in the development of the Capital Improvement Plan, performance reporting, and special projects in order to support the assigned responsibilities of the Engineering Department, specifically the Planning section. Participate in the review of distribution, sub-transmission, and transmission outage events. Research outage information and identify specific outage patterns and problems. Assist in action items associated with solving outage event related issues. Review projects and activities, as assigned, to ensure conformity to Chugach’s planning guidelines and overall system plans for system betterment.

Essential Functions

1. Support the department projects and activities in line with objectives and deadlines, ensure follow up and make corrections, if necessary. 
2. Follow budgets and exercises financial control. 
3. Has the ability to work as a part of a group, understands and is willing to work within the role established. Recognizes the circumstances that require teamwork and team decisions. Sets high standards for performance for self and others.
4. Develop an understanding of the data sources, information systems, principles, theories, and techniques for task accomplishment. Collects and applies the principles of engineering, business, marketing, human resources, and information technology.
5. Work actively to interpret and support how the company operates to accomplish its mission. Develops an understanding of corporate, as well as departmental goals and objectives. 
6. Collect, interpret data, and report trends which measure the operating condition, equipment status and system demands of the asset base. 
7. Participate in the development of long-range plans, the Capital Improvement Plan, and Title 21 Undergrounding Plan.
8. Prepare support documentation for the Strategic Plan, Power Requirement Study, Financial Forecast and Business Plan.
9. Participate in the evaluation of generation, transmission, and distribution investments with respect to their conformity with the Association's goals and objectives.
10. Review construction drawings and specifications for conformance to established planning, operating and performance criteria.
11. Support other departments and divisions in operating matters, construction, operations and maintenance planning as well as disturbance analysis.
12. Assist in the review of system status and outage data.
13. Develop, maintain, and utilize system models to analyze system stability, configuration, and growth.
14. Review and comment on transmission and distribution designs for conformance with utility design practice, long range planning goals, and system configuration.
15. Carry out special assignments and projects as defined by the Manager, Transmission & Substation Engineering and Planning.
16. Maintain knowledge of power system related technologies, materials, construction techniques, and industry trends to guide long range planning.
17. Coordinate with system reliability councils and state and federal regulatory agencies to provide reports on Chugach's system updates and to aid Chugach's system planning.
18. Conduct special studies and analyses. 
19. Perform other duties as assigned.

Relationships

Internal

• Manager, Transmission & Substation Engineering and Planning: Reports to, receives direction and decisions.  Keeps informed of work progress and problems encountered. Exchanges information relative to work assignments.
• Senior Planning Engineer: Exchange information, receive guidance.  Keep informed of work progress and problems encountered. Exchange information relative to system operations, disturbance analysis and system performance measurement and evaluation.
• Standards Engineer: Exchange information relative to materials and equipment performance. 
• Planning & Standards EIT: Exchange information relative to system operations, disturbance analysis, and system performance measurement and evaluation.
• Distribution Design & Construction: Exchange information relative to distribution planning, protection and related design and construction needs. Coordinate efforts with respect to system protection and system analysis.
• Corporate Planning and Development: Exchange information with respect to strategic planning and the Association's Business Plan. 
• System Operations: Exchange information relative to operations and maintenance, outage status and issues.
• System Control: Exchange information relative to capital improvement, outage causes and statistics, system configuration and protection, and system studies.
• Plant Accounting and Finance: Seek out or exchanges information as required.
• Regulatory Affairs and Pricing: Exchange information, cooperate in joint studies related to pricing.
• All Other Departments: Seek out or exchange information as required.
• Vice Presidents: Seek out or exchange information as required.

External

• Bargaining Unit Representatives: Works with linemen and technicians to understand the installation and maintenance needs of equipment within the Chugach Transmission, Distribution, and Substation facilities.
• Consultants:  Work with Chugach consultants and with other agency consultants in the preparation of planning and operational studies.
• Other Utilities:  Communicate and integrate planning studies with interconnected utilities.  Exchange information and coordinates maintenance of any Railbelt power system models.
• Government Agencies:  Coordinate with appropriate agencies on land use planning, corridor development and transportation studies. Exchange information concerning substation and line usage.

Competencies

1. Effectively coordinates multiple tasks that involve priorities that may be in competition. Clearly communicates challenges and problems well enough in advance to minimize, or eliminate, negative impacts on other parties. 
2. Must have a working knowledge of the planning, operation, and maintenance of electric utility transmission and distribution systems. Familiarity with system protection desired. 
3. Must have practical working knowledge of computer software and hardware. Familiarity with system analysis simulation tools such as PSS/E or SynerGEE is desirable.
4. Must have the ability to apply system analysis and engineering knowledge to system development and review. 
5. Must have the ability to work with other department personnel in preparing plans and reports. 
6. Must have the ability to communicate clearly and concisely, in both verbal and written forms, job related activities to other parties.
7. Must have the ability to identify and implement software requirements relative to responsibility areas. 
8. Must have a valid driver's license.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibility but assigns work and provides guidance to the Distribution Design Trainees, Engineering Trainees, and Engineering Interns, as assigned.

Work Environment 

Work is performed in a standard office environment. Frequent attendance at technical meetings and conferences. Frequent field assignments may be required. Local and in-state travel is required periodically. On occasion, travel out of state may be required. May be called on for assistance in major outages or system emergencies. 

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering required.  Power option preferred. Alaska Professional Engineer registration or the ability to obtain Alaska Professional Engineer registration is required. Additional academic work in engineering economics, statistics and decision analysis preferred.

Experience

Two (2) years of progressively responsible electric industry experience, preferably with an electric utility, one of which must have been in transmission, distribution, or generation system analysis and/or transmission, distribution, or generation planning/construction. Experience in preparation of feasibility or construction cost estimates desirable. Experience working in a union environment preferred. 

Company Description

Chugach Electric Association is a member-owned cooperative, headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. Anchorage itself sits at the base of the Chugach Mountains. Chugach is pleased to provide reliable, affordable power to more than 92,000 members from Anchorage to the northern Kenai Peninsula, and from Whittier on Prince William Sound to Tyonek on the west side of Cook Inlet. We service over 113,000 locations with 3,782 miles of transmission and distribution lines. We have many services that make it easy to power homes and businesses with Chugach.
 

A little more about us: Chugach has been around for a long time, recently celebrating 75 years! We are a stable company, in a stable industry. And while we may have stability, we are modern, sustainable and forward-thinking to ensure that we provide reliable services for generations to come. We also pride ourselves on the longevity of our employees. We have several 20, 30 and 40 year tenured employees who continue foster an inclusive, innovative corporate environment. Find your spark!

Chugach's corporate vision:
Responsibly developing energy to build a clean, sustainable future for Alaska.

Chugach's corporate mission:
We provide safe, reliable, and affordable electricity through superior service and sustainable practices, powering the lives of our members.

Chugach's corporate values:
Guided by our values of safety, accountability, and sustainability, we are committed to serving our members, the community, and the Chugach team.

Equal Employment Opportunity
It is a policy of Chugach Electric Association, Inc., to recruit, hire, train, promote, and compensate persons without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, physical or mental disability, veteran's status, age, or any other classification protected by applicable, federal, state, or local law.
Chugach is also an affirmative action employer.

Benefits

HEALTH BENEFITS

Premium & Deductible are paid for by Chugach Electric. The plan includes coverage of:

• Medical, RX, Dental & Vision
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Telemedicine

FINANCIAL SECURITY

• 401K Plan
• Defined Benefit (Pension)
• Retirement Investment services
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance paid for by Chugach Electric
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Short Term Disability
• Long Term Disability
• Flex Spending Account (Health, Limited Use, Dependent Care)

WORK, LIFE & HEALTH

• 20 days vacation for first year of employment
• 9 Paid Holidays 2 Float Holidays 1 Birthday Holiday
• Employee Assistance Program
• MetLife Will Preparation