Transmission System Planning Expert – Reconductoring Focus

Akima Infrastructure Services, LLC (AIS), is actively seeking a Transmission System Planning Expert as part of our staff augmentation team supporting the Department of Energy at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR). Successful candidates will be employees of AIS, a premier government contractor charged with employing highly motivated and well-qualified personnel who can advance the missions of the National Laboratory of the Rockies located in Golden, CO.

Though employed by AIS, the employee will take day-to-day direction from technical personnel employed directly by the research laboratory. Pay, benefits, Human Resource, and Employment Management functions are provided by AIS.

Qualified applicants must be a US citizen, at least 18 years of age, and able to meet pre-employment requirements including any required physicals, drug screen, and/or background investigation to satisfy clearance requirements from the Department of Energy.

Specialized technical expert to support analysis and strategy development of advanced reconductoring options into utility and regional transmission system planning studies. The subcontractor will provide targeted stakeholder engagement, workshop facilitation and presentations, and technical analysis focused on conductor replacement strategies using advanced conductor technologies.

Workshop facilitation and content

• The subcontractor will share experiences, facilitate discussion, and produce unique research on where in transmission system planning reconductoring options are introduced (i.e., integrated resource plans, economic/policy modeling, reliability planning, engineering, procurement, construction phases) and where upstream decisions may be limiting the consideration of advanced conductors.
  • 3 virtual workshops
  • Hosted and publicized by NLR communications team
  • Presentations, security industry presenter(s), and discussion facilitation by subcontract technical expert

Guidebook Analytic and Documentation Support

• Advise on representation of reconductoring options within utility and regional planning studies (e.g., Xcel, ITC, MISO, SPP, WECC).
• Produce draft report section summarizing the state of the industry with at least 10 organizations (spanning utility and regional planners) approach to evaluating advanced conductors as a solution, highlighting where in the transmission planning process reconductoring is considered, how the benefits (i.e., of the seven benefits from FERC order 1920) are measured, and identify potential conflicts in the planning process regarding reconductoring (15-25 pages, 5 months from contract award).
• Support the development and/or best practice exposition of methods and strategies for transmission planning with advanced conductors.
• Bi-weekly check-ins with NLR where general progress updates and current and proposed new methods are discussed.
• NLR to lead long-range planning method development with input from subcontractor.
• Subcontractor to lead reliability-based planning methods development with input from NLR.
• Industry workshop to validate methods development
• Subcontractor led draft report section on reliability-based analysis for advanced conductors (8-12 pages; 8 months from contract award).
• Develop informative tables and/or graphics and a framework for reconductoring installation considerations for ACSS, ACCR, ACCC, and similar high-temperature, low-sag conductors (6-10 pages, 8 months from contract award).

Documentation & Engagement

• Facilitate three virtual stakeholder workshops (1.5–3 hours each) to present analyses, gather feedback, and align utilities, planners, and regulators.
• Author three sections of the project’s final report synthesizing:
  • State of the industry via case studies.
  • Validated methods for reliability planning with advanced conductors, and
  • Key insights and recommendations (i.e., framework) for installation considerations. Outlines and draft sections will also be required for discussion during check-ins.
• Develop supporting presentation materials, agendas, and post-event summary memos.

Required Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• BS Degree in Engineering or related field.
• Technical expertise on transmission system planning with experience integrating advanced conductors into planning process.
• Excellent communication skills written and orally.
• Ability to facilitate workshops and discussions with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Must be able to obtain NLR site security access.

• Power systems and/or electrical engineer.
• 5+ years of work experience in transmission planning.
• Experience working with utilities and/or ISO/RTO.

• Pre-employment Drug Screen - External applicants selected for this position are required to successfully complete a post-offer, pre-employment drug test.
• Medical Exam(s) - Job related pre-placement medical examinations may be required for this position.
• This position may require the ability to obtain and maintain a clearance from the Department of Energy. If…