Plant Director Renewable Generation (Hydro )

Xcel Energy; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 148,000 - 211,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Incentive Program

Long Term Incentive

Medical/Pharmacy Plan

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance

Dependent Care Reimbursement Account

Health Care Reimbursement Account

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in H)

Transportation Reimbursement Account

Short-term disability (STD)

Long-term disability (LTD)

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Fitness Center Reimbursement

Tuition reimbursement

Transit programs

Employee recognition program

Pension

401(k) plan

Paid time off (PTO)

Holidays

Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO)

Parental Leave

Job summary

Xcel Energy in Denver, CO, seeks a power plant leader to oversee safety, reliability, and financial performance for a 600–1500 MW facility. You will manage budgets, contracts, and a skilled workforce while ensuring regulatory compliance and community engagement.

The role emphasizes leadership, strong engineering background, and experience with hydroelectric or complex plants, with a hybrid work model and a competitive package.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical or electrical engineering preferred or equivalent education and/or experience.
• Ten (10) years' experience in power generation or equivalent to include - five years leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide a safe working environment with infrastructure, processes, training, and records to ensure safety and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure unit reliability to deliver production and customer interfaces.
• Manage budgets (O&M and capital) to optimize costs and control inventory and contracts.
• Maintain a trained, qualified and engaged workforce with development, recognition, and AA/EEO compliance.
• Maximize value of plant assets and support long-term improvements and investments.
• Ensure compliance with environmental permits and regulations across operations.
• Represent Xcel Energy with suppliers, contractors, and public while upholding high ethical standards.
• Connect corporate, energy supply and plant objectives to achieve KPIs and goals.

Skills

Leadership experience

Power generation

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or electrical engineering

Job description

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company, dedicated to serving millions of electricity and natural gas customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. We make energy work better for our customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy.

Xcel Energy is a place where you’ll have opportunities to grow, expand your skills, and help lead the clean energy transition. We offer meaningful rewards, recognition, and support to help you build your career and make an impact - both on the job and beyond. Most importantly, it means you’ll be joining a company that knows employees are the driving force behind its success and is committed to helping you be your best.

Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model to enable collaboration and flexibility. Many roles are expected to work onsite three days per week (Tuesday–Thursday); however, work location expectations vary based on role, team, and business needs.

Position Summary

Provide leadership and management for power plant. Key objectives: ensure personnel and plant safety; reliable operation; effective maintenance practices and customer satisfaction; a trained qualified and engaged workforce; financial performance; compliance with environmental requirements; and effective community relations. Scope of Position: Generally responsible for plant ranging from 600 - 1500 MW in capacity. However, other compensable factors may impact grade level including co-ownerships, number of units, complexity of systems, complexing, geographic dispersion of units, multiple fuel types, etc.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide a safe working environment by establishing the proper infrastructure (processes, procedures, training, accountabilities, records, etc.) to ensure that personnel and plant safety are managed effectively and in compliance with all applicable regulations.
• Ensure unit reliability in order to deliver production and ancillary services to customers. Ensure customer interfaces are managed effectively.
• Accountable for plant financial performance. Establish and manage O & M and capital budgets to ensure effective and efficient utilization of available resources to optimize costs. Manage inventory and contracts to minimize overall costs.
• Ensure a trained, qualified and engaged workforce. Provide opportunities for employee development, recognition, communication and involvement. Ensure compliance with all applicable hiring, promotion, training and development practices. Comply with all labor agreements and AA/EEO policies.
• Maximize the value and profitability of plant assets. Ensure that plans and processes are in place to support long-term plant improvement and investment.
• Ensure all personnel understand the requirements of plant environmental permits and applicable regulations. Establish the infrastructure to ensure compliance with all commitments and requirements.
• Represent Xcel Energy's interests in contacts and relationships with suppliers, contractors, industry/professional organizations, and the public while maintaining high ethical standards at all times. As appropriate, provide support for involvement of plant personnel in community programs and activities.
• Ensure linkage of Corporate, Energy Supply and plant objectives through use of the Management System and ES Operations and plant business plans. Establish action plans to ensure key performance indicators (KPI's), initiatives and other goals are achieved.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical or electrical engineering preferred or equivalent education and/or experience.
• Ten (10) years' experience in power generation or equivalent to include - five years leadership experience.
• Demonstrated leadership capability and proven performance/results.
• Selection criteria may include testing and/or assessment.

Preferred Requirements

• Previous experience in Hydroelectric power plants and FERC Dam Safety.

Our culture is grounded in shared values and employee commitments that guide how we work, support one another, and grow together.

Our Values

Connected, Committed, Trustworthy, Safe

Our Employee Commitments

• Work that makes a difference
• A team you can count of
• Opportunities to grow
• Rewards that help you thrive

Xcel Energy provides job applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities throughout the application process. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form (https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=g6WyJAVcaku06U4S3AAlrVld9SFTyvlNkqxgjYWAK9xUQ1JIS1JUSjg3TkNXU1hVU01PS1pVSEVDNSQlQCN0PWcu&route=shorturl) .

Non-Bargaining

The anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $148,400.00 to $210,733.33 per year

This position is eligible for the following benefits:

• Annual Incentive Program
• Long Term Incentive
• Medical/Pharmacy Plan
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance
• Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
• Health Care Reimbursement Account
• Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan)
• Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA)
• Transportation Reimbursement Account
• Short-term disability (STD)
• Long-term disability (LTD)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Transit programs
• Employee recognition program
• Pension
• 401(k) plan
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Holidays
• Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO)
• Parental Leave

Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information including but not limited to dates of school attendance and graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Deadline to Apply: 10/08/26

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Accessibility Statement

Xcel Energy endeavors to make https://www.xcelenergy.com and https://jobs.xcelenergy.com accessible to any and all users. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form (https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/DyR78vcb7K) . For any other application related questions, including application follow-ups or technical issues, please use our Recruiting Assistance, Electra, for assistance. Electra can be found in the lower right-hand corner of our Xcel Energy Careers site.