COMPANY OVERVIEW
El Paso Electric (EPE) is a regional energy provider that is engaged in generation, transmission, and distribution service to power approximately 460,000 customers in a 10,000-square mile area of the Rio Grande valley in west Texas and southern New Mexico. We invite you to visit epelectric.com to learn more about EPE and our strategic initiatives. Join our EPE Team and TOGETHER we will transform the energy landscape.
DATE POSTED : 01 / 23 / 2025 CLOSING DATE : 01 / 30 / 2025 GRADE LEVEL : 52 - 53 DEPARTMENT : SYSTEM OPERATIONS
STARTING SALARY : $67,400 – $104,000 Salary is commensurate with experience.
JOB FAMILY SUMMARY PURPOSE :
The position is under the general supervision of the Supervisor Energy Imbalance Market is responsible for the economic dispatch and reliable operation of EPE’s EIM Entity, generation, and balancing facilities during normal and emergency system conditions. Also is responsible for implementing energy schedules, operating the phase shifter, and issuing switching orders for generators, renewables, and VERs operating within EPE’s Balancing Area. Applies reliability tools to acquire a situational awareness of anticipated normal and contingency conditions and develops actions to alleviate abnormal situations. Accountable for maintaining and updating the generator outage database, as well as calculating forced outage rates and forecast errors. Complies with North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) reliability standards in meeting the needs of the western EIM, interchange, load, and generation needs as EPE’s Balancing Authority.
EDUCATION :
Graduate from a recognized college or university with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering, Business, Finance, or other analytical / technical fields with basic knowledge of electric theory or power systems or an equivalent combination of related training and experience.
NERC operator certification or ability to obtain certification within six (6) months of hire date.
EXPERIENCE :
0 - 3 years or more experience required.
KEY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES :
Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate with or without a reasonable accommodation that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES :
- Knowledge of electrical principles, procedures and components, power system operations including power plant operations, power generation, fundamentals of alternating current circuits, and electrical safety policies and procedures.
- Ability to maintain constant awareness of system conditions, Local Marginal Price (LMPs), congestion, anticipate contingencies, and take proactive steps to ensure system reliability and stability.
- Knowledgeable in the use of personal computers and applications such as Outlook, excel, Word and TEAMS. Ability to learn specialized software applications such as Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) applications, outage management software (OMS), Open Access Technology International (OATI) and Energy Management System (EMS).
- Must pass a NERC BIT Certification exam and obtain a NERC System Operator Certification within 6 months of hire.
- Ability to project current system conditions to future projections and take appropriate action.
- Ability to monitor and apply control system principles rationally to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
- Must have the ability to communicate in English fluently with all operating personnel responsible for the real-time balancing and generation control and operation of the Energy Imbalance Market and interconnected Bulk Electric System.
- Ability to work 12-hour rotating shifts including weekends, evenings, holidays and provide additional coverage when needed.
- Ability to build relationships and foster teamwork.
- Ability to travel for training, seminars, and to represent EPE at industry-related meetings.
- Effective verbal and written communication and three-part communication skills.
- Ability to maintain effective working relationships with officers, managers, fellow employees, and the general public.
- Ability to maintain a strong sense of propriety concerning confidential matters.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS :
Responsible for monitoring the western Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) as it relates to El Paso Electric Balancing Authority and maintain reliable operation of EPE’s generation facilities during normal and emergency system conditions.Initiates appropriate action in the event of an emergency to return the system to safe and reliable operation. (See Authority of System Operator)Works with the Power Marketing Department, EIM Merchant, and Real-time schedulers to coordinate and schedule energy resources to meet system load requirements and EIM dispatches.Familiarize with and maintaining the Outage Management System (OMS) and updating and monitoring ambient derates, as well as calculating scheduled and forced outage rates and forecast error.Operates the system on a minute-by-minute basis to match firm and interruptible resources to obligations, balance generation and transmission shares between utility companies / market entities, and verify metered flow quantities from EPE to other utilities.Enters energy schedules into EMS for committed sales and purchases.Responsible for tracking unit commitment, Manual dispatch, load bias, ETSR’s, EIM and economic dispatch, as well as, ensuring generators operate under Automatic Generation Control (AGC).Understand the use of SCADA alarms, telemetry system status and system operating limits. Monitor system conditions such as inadvertent, alarms, telemetry, equipment status.Monitors generation conditions by way of alarms, telemetry, status, modes of operation, ACE, Frequency, Balancing Authority Ace Limit (BAAL) events, etc.Assist in preparing reports for management, other utilities, and reserve sharing groups on system disturbances, emergencies, or any unusual operating condition or action.Adheres to all FERC rules and regulations regarding Standards of Conduct.Provides updated information of any significant system events to appropriate recipients using EPE’s paging system.Communicates abnormal system conditions to the CAISO Real Time Market Operator (RTMO).Reviews and approves Power Marketing’s daily Resource Plan (unit commitment).Tracks and makes daily adjustments to primary inadvertent and performs time-error corrections as requested by the interchange authority.Complies with all applicable Company policies, procedures and code of ethics as well as all applicable governmental laws and regulations to include employment, safety and environmental standards and regulations.Adhere to all FERC rules and regulations regarding Standards of Conduct. Acquire an understanding of EPE’s Switching Standards of System Operations, and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) reliability standards.Valid driver’s license and be in compliance with the Company’s Driving Program policy.Complies with all applicable Company policies, procedures, and code of ethics as well as all applicable governmental laws and regulations to include employment, safety and environmental standards and regulations.Perform other related tasks that are not included but are within the context of the duties defined.WORK ENVIRONMENT :
The incumbents in this classification are not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions; primary work environment is typically of an office or administrative nature.Will work non-standard hours.Will be required to travel to Company work sites.Will require out of town travel.Will require to be onsite for the duration of shift.Will require to work in a Critical Infrastructure Facility with Control Access.PHYSICAL DEMANDS :
Sedentary work : Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and / or a negligible amount of force to position.Fingering : Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm as in handling.Talking : Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; those activities in which detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.Hearing : Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make fine discriminations in sound, such as when making fine adjustments on machined parts.Repetitive motions : Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and / or fingers.Visual acuity : Color, depth perception, and field of vision to include measurement devices for close inspection and analysis.Sedentary work : Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and / or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.Reaching : Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.Walking : Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks.Pulling : Using the upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul, or tug objects in a sustained motion.Lifting : Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position to position.Fingering : Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm as in handling.Grasping : Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.Talking : Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; those activities in which detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.Hearing : Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make fine discriminations in sound, such as when making fine adjustments on machined parts.Repetitive motions : Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and / or fingers.Visual acuity : Color, depth perception, and field of vision to include measurement devices for close inspection and analysis.If interested in applying for this position, you must apply online by 5 : 00 PM January 30, 2025 . (Please scroll back up to the “Apply Now” button)
Equal Opportunity Employer / Protected Veterans / Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)
Salary : $67,400 - $104,000
