Renewables Operations Center; ROC) Operator

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The Renewables Operations Center (ROC) is a 24/7/365 control room manages and monitors Duke Energy’s hydro, solar, and battery storage assets to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant operations. This role involves real-time decision-making to balance energy demands and water resource management while adhering to regulatory requirements.

• Operations and asset control:
  The operator is responsible for dispatching and controlling hydro, solar, and battery storage generation assets, continuously monitoring operational screens, and collaborating with site technicians to address alarms and maintenance needs. They adjust unit controls and excitation based on system conditions and ensure accurate operational logs and generation schedules for dispatch purposes.
• Water and reservoir management:
  The role includes managing water reservoirs and control systems as part of an integrated system, including floodgate operations during high inflow periods. Operators dispatch hydro units or manipulate spillways to regulate water flow, maintain compliance with FERC licenses, and participate in dam failure drills and emergency notifications.
• Safety, compliance, and communication:
  Operators ensure site safety and security, make operational decisions to protect facilities and the public, negotiate outage and reserve requests, and communicate unit limitations. They use risk-informed decision-making and maintain accuracy of publicly available information while curtailing surplus solar generation or adjusting battery storage operations as needed.

• Partner with the ECCs to mitigate grid events and meet customer energy demand
• Dispatch and operate hydro generation, solar generation, and battery storage assets to meet energy demand
• Constantly monitor operational screens on all ROC fleet assets
• Work with site technicians to mitigate site alarms and workarounds
• Manage site safety and security elements of assets in alignment with established procedures and regulations
• Adjust unit controls and excitation based on unit response, system limitation, and generator voltage limits/schedule
• Make operational decisions that ensure the safety of Duke Energy facilities and the public
• Ensure accurate COA entries noting available generation for ECC dispatch and FSO modeling
• Maintain accurate Plant View operations logs Waterway Management
• Manage reservoirs as part of an integrated system, including periods of high inflows, which encompasses floodgate operations.
• Dispatch Hydro generating units or manipulate spillways to move water through the system
• Maintain FERC training and qualifications including participation in dam failure drills
• Evaluate dam failure and dam non-failure conditions, then implement corresponding plans up to notification of EMAs for public warnings and evacuations
• Under high water conditions, make notifications and coordinate with stakeholders
• Negotiate outage and reserve requests
• Communicate emerging unit limitations across relevant organizations
• Utilize risk informed decision making based on the criticality of the asset and grid conditions
• Maintain accuracy of publicly available information as required
• Curtail surplus Solar generation at the request of the ECC as a method of assuring grid reliability
• Adjust storage asset (battery) operational modes and/or scheduling charge/discharge cycles as required by procedure or ECC request.
• Utilize proficiency to serve as a…