Power Plant Engineer

Power Plant Engineer

La Paloma Power Facility is located approximately 40 miles west of Bakersfield in McKittrick, California, and operates as a 1,022 MW natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant. Utilizing ABB GT24 combustion turbines, ABB HRSGs, and an ABB VAX 16 steam turbine, the facility delivers efficient and reliable power generation. Its strategic location and proven technology support a dependable electricity supply while maintaining compliance with stringent environmental regulations.

The Plant Engineer supports the safe, reliable, efficient, and compliant operation of La Paloma Power Facility. This position monitors plant performance, improves equipment reliability, supports outage planning, and drives continuous improvement initiatives while helping ensure compliance with applicable NERC Reliability Standards and regulatory requirements.

Working with Operations, Maintenance, contractors, and compliance personnel, the Plant Engineer analyzes equipment performance, resolves operational issues, and supports plant control systems, including the DCS, turbine controls, and instrumentation, while assisting with NERC compliance and audit readiness.

Your scope of responsibility as Plant Engineer includes the following primary functions:

• Track forced outages, derates, and loss of generation events, conducting Root Cause Analyses (RCA) and supporting internal and external reporting requirements.
• Monitor and evaluate the performance of ABB GT24 combustion turbines, ABB HRSGs, ABB VAX 16 steam turbine systems, and balance-of-plant equipment to improve reliability, availability, and efficiency.
• Analyze plant heat rate, operating data, and performance trends, recommending operational and maintenance improvements that maximize plant performance and profitability.
• Support the evaluation, maintenance, and optimization of the plant's Distributed Control System (DCS), turbine control systems, PLCs, and instrumentation systems to ensure reliable and efficient operation.
• Assist with control system modifications, alarm management, operator graphics, and automation improvements to enhance plant performance and operational flexibility.
• Implement and support condition monitoring programs, including vibration analysis, thermography, oil analysis, and performance monitoring techniques to assess equipment health and identify potential failures.
• Manage plant instrumentation and measurement systems to ensure accurate data acquisition, equipment calibration, and reliable process monitoring.
• Investigate equipment failures, plant incidents, process abnormalities, and unusual operating conditions, determining root causes and implementing corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Maintain configuration control, engineering documentation, technical drawings, and plant records to ensure accurate and up-to-date engineering information.
• Coordinate with OEM representatives, engineering firms, contractors, and vendors to resolve technical issues, implement improvements, and support plant projects.
• Develop scopes of work, manage contractor activities, and support outage planning and execution to ensure projects are completed safely, efficiently, and within budget.
• Perform reliability studies and engineering evaluations to improve plant availability, capacity factor, and long-term asset performance.
• Support capital improvement projects, plant modifications, and Management of Change (MOC) activities to ensure safe and effective implementation of engineering solutions.
• Fully support and participate in NAES Safety, Environmental, and Regulatory Compliance Programs while promoting a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the Plant Manager to support the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the facility.

Responsible for the oversight, administration and coordination of all plant Operator and Owner NERC accountabilities. Must be familiar with all NERC standards and requirements in order to:

• Implement, maintain, and continuously improve the plant's NERC Internal Control Program (ICP), ensuring compliance with all applicable NERC Reliability Standards.
• Monitor, interpret, and apply new and existing NERC regulatory requirements, maintaining plant compliance procedures, policies, and documentation in accordance with current standards.
• Analyze technical and operational data to develop, maintain, and support compliance evidence, including Reliability Standard Audit Worksheets (RSAWs) and other regulatory reporting requirements.
• Coordinate with NAES NERC Compliance personnel, plant staff, and external auditors during compliance reviews, audits, and site visits, ensuring timely, accurate, and technically sound responses.
• Develop and deliver training to plant personnel on NERC compliance requirements, procedure updates, and regulatory changes to promote ongoing compliance awareness and accountability.

Safety is a core value at NAES, and as a condition of employment, all employees are…