The Power System Operator is responsible for the safe and reliable remote operation and dispatch of Avangrid’s diverse U.S. renewables and thermal generation fleet and substations. The OIT I interfaces with plant personnel, asset management, real time trading & forecasting, transmission operators, ISO’s/BA’s, and other entities to maintain optimal Avangrid resource availability and system reliability, and in a manner consistent with its commercial obligations and economic considerations. The integral OIT I role is located primarily out of Avangrid National Control Center’s Vancouver, Washington facility, and compliments the 24x7 continuous staffing presence there.
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Maintains constant situational awareness of plant performance and impactful meteorology, wind speed, equipment status, operating constraints, and outage factors.
- Optimally dispatches generation resources in consideration of commercial and economic factors.
- Communicates with and responds to directives from balancing authorities and transmission operators.
- Troubleshoots turbine and substation alarms, taking corrective actions and enlisting diagnostic control systems and engineering support as needed.
- Interprets turbine and substation SCADA, and system-grid conditions to maintain stable and optimal plant performance and availability.
- Monitors plant automatic generation control and SCADA response to instantaneous dispatch signals from the ISO/RTO regions that Avangrid’s resources operate in.
- Coordinates via multiple scheduling application systems, with plant managers, and other internal and external parties to start and return generation units with planned and unplanned outages.
- Monitors and notifies site personnel of potentially dangerous site conditions.
- Monitors and ensures reliable and continuous plant and substation telemetry. Troubleshoots system communication issues and takes immediate corrective action to resolve.
- Notifies management and other critical parties of adverse operating conditions and emergency events.
- Performs safe substation switching using established procedures in coordination with field personnel.
- Operates reactive equipment in response to voltage stability needs and directives, and monitors resources for voltage schedule compliance.
- Coordinates with plant managers regarding special operating conditions and requirements.
- Promptly identifies substation alarms and plant trip events and notifies and follows up with technical support personnel to resolve and restore affected resources.
- Performs periodic and real time system reporting.
- Understands and adheres to applicable NERC and RTO reliability standards.
- Dispatches field services and emergency service personnel as appropriate.
- Adheres to internal controls and operating procedures.
- Adheres to Avangrid’s cyber and security protocol.
Job Requirements:
*If not already certified, the hired candidate must study for and pass the PJM Generation Dispatcher exam certification within 6 months of hire and the NERC Reliability Coordinator exam certification within 9 months of hire. Earning and maintaining these certifications within the allotted times is a condition of ongoing employment.
Education, Experience and Work Environment:
- 2+ years in real time/power plant/transmission operations or electrical, engineering roles. Vocational experience with applicable and equivalent technical skillsets will also be considered.
- Conceptual understanding of control room operations and generation dispatch, or equivalent job environment demanding constant real time multi-tasking and prioritization.
- Ability to interpret technical procedures, schematics, and diagrams to operate generation systems.
- Familiarity with MS Office or similar desktop productivity tools.
- Ability to regularly work rotating Dupont shifts of 12-hour duration, including night shifts, weekends, and holidays, and to be on-call during certain periods of each shift rotation.
Preferred Experience:
- Experience in power system operations performing generation dispatch and/or substation switching.
- Experience in real time operations or in dynamic control room-like environment.
- Familiarity with OSI PI, and complex SCADA, diagnostic and control system applications.
Preferred Qualifications:
- NERC Reliability Coordinator and PJM Generation Dispatcher certifications.
- Power plant operation skill sets.
- Vocational/professional electrical, technical, or engineering experience.
- Balancing authority or transmission operations.
Relevant Skills and Aptitude:
- Ability to navigate and succeed in a highly matrixed reporting structure.
- Self-disciplined and resourceful, with demonstrated ability to take initiative and make critical decisions under minimal supervision in stressful situations.
Mobility Information:
Please note that any applicant who is not a citizen of the country of the vacancy will be subject to compliance with the applicable immigration requirements to legally work in that country.
AVANGRID’s employment practices and policies are geared to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. At AVANGRID we provide fair and equal employment and advancement opportunities for all employees and candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, protected veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.
If you are an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who is unable to use our online tool to search for or to apply for jobs, you may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our People and Organization department at careers@avangrid.com.
