Transmission Planning Engineer

FirstEnergy Corp; Reading (Berks County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

FirstEnergy is seeking a Transmission Planning Engineer to support planning across its transmission system. The role focuses on reliable operation, interconnections, and capital projects within the planning area.

You will collaborate with operating companies, utilities, and regional organizations to ensure safety and reliability. The ideal candidate will have an ABET-accredited electrical engineering degree (or equivalent), plus PE license or FE certificate and several years of engineering

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited Electrical Engineering degree required.
• License or advanced degree options may be accepted as listed.
• FE Certificate is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support and studies to develop transmission and subtransmission infrastructure projects and budgets.
• Complete bulk and area transmission studies per NERC, PJM and FE criteria.
• Propose mitigation projects to address planning deficiencies identified in system studies.
• Prepare operating solutions if capital projects can’t be implemented in time.
• Develop annual capital budgets with cost estimates and presentations.
• Study connections of new loads, generators, and merchant transmission projects.
• Support Operations Centers during severe weather or abnormal events.
• Provide rapid analysis to determine outage feasibility and system security.
• Recommend operational improvements for abnormal conditions and voltages.
• Collaborate with industry groups (NERC, RFC, PJM) and share FE methods.
• Respond to information requests from state and federal commissions.
• Provide technical testimony as needed.
• Assist with compliance submittals and planning activities.
• Maintain planning philosophy documents and related procedures.
• Prepare inputs for filings with regulatory agencies; travel as needed.

Education

Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET accredited institution

Professional Engineer's (PE) License

Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Technology from ABET accredited institution

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Civil or Mechanical Engineering or technical field of study + advanced degree in Electrical Engineering from ABET accredited program

Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Certificate

Job description

FirstEnergy at a Glance

This is an open position with FirstEnergy Service Co., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. [FEU]Locations: OH, PA, WVONSITE We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers' lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 3,500 megawatts.

About the Opportunity

The Transmission Planning Engineer position is responsible for transmission planning functions across FirstEnergy's transmission and subtransmission systems in the FirstEnergy area. The primary focus is on studying and planning the safe and reliable operation of transmission and subtransmission lines and substations. In addition, the position is responsible for performing studies related to generation and load interconnections attaching to the system within the assigned planning areas. The engineer will perform transmission planning activities with input from the operating companies, other utilities, generator owners, the Regional Transmission Organization, and Regional Reliability Organizations. The position has the responsibility to initiate, recommend, and assist in the development of the capital portfolio for reliability related projects within the planning area of responsibility. The position works closely with the Operations Center to provide support during storms, heavy loading periods, and abnormal system events.

Responsibilities Include:

• Providing technical support and studies to develop transmission and subtransmission infrastructure projects, plans, and capital budgets to maintain the reliability and integrity of the FE system.
• Performing timely completion of bulk and area transmission systems studies ensuring compliance with NERC, PJM and FE planning criteria.
• Proposing and economically justifying recommended mitigation projects to any planning criteria deficiencies identified through system studies.
• If capital projects cannot be implemented in the needed timeframe, a detailed operating solution is prepared and presented to Operations for review and implementation.
• Performing development of annual capital budgets by requesting cost estimates and preparing presentations associated with the capital portfolio process.
• Performing studies associated with the connection of new loads, generators and merchant transmission projects.
• Providing support to the Operations Centers when required, such as during severe weather, heavy loading or abnormal system events.
• Frequently this support requires rapid turn‑around of an evaluation of whether the system can accommodate an outage and remain in a secure condition should the next contingency occur.
• It could also involve operational recommendations to alleviate abnormal system conditions, abnormal voltages, or equipment overloads.
• Working with various industry groups to meet requirements / obligations that FE has within the industry, and actively promote FE ideas / methods / procedures that the industry should be using as it moves forward. Formal industry groups include NERC, RFC and PJM.
• Preparing responses to state and federal commission requests for information.
• Providing technical testimony for regulatory and legal inquiries as assigned.
• Supporting efforts to prepare submittals for compliance related to various planning related activities.
• Participating in the annual maintenance of the department's planning philosophy, facility connection document, and other procedures and documents.
• Preparing work products to meet requirements of various governmental agencies, such as public utility commissions, other state agencies, FERC, and other federal agencies, by providing input to filings as required.
• May be required to travel throughout the FE system and to other industry related activities.

Engineer II Qualifications include:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET accredited institution is required.
• Acceptable alternatives are: (1) a Professional Engineer's (PE) License (2) a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Technology from an ABET accredited institution (3) a Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Civil or Mechanical Engineering or technical field of study (non-ABET) plus an advanced degree in Electrical Engineering from a university with an ABET accredited Bachelor's program.
• A Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Certificate is preferred.
• Minimum of 2 (two) years of Engineering experience is required.

Engineer III Qualification Include:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET accredited institution is required.
• Acceptable alternatives are: (1) a Professional Engineer's (PE) License (2) a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Technology from an ABET accredited institution (3) a Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Civil or Mechanical Engineering or technical field of study (non-ABET) plus an advanced degree in Electrical Engineering from a university with an ABET accredited Bachelor's program.
• A Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Certificate is preferred.
• Minimum of 3 (three) years of Engineering experience is required.

Engineer IV Qualifications include:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET accredited institution is required.
• Acceptable alternatives are: (1) a Professional Engineer's (PE) License (2) a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Technology from an ABET accredited institution (3) a Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Civil or Mechanical Engineering or technical field of study (non-ABET) plus an advanced degree in Electrical Engineering from a university with an ABET accredited Bachelor's program.
• A Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Certificate is preferred.
• Minimum of 5 (five) years of Engineering experience is required with a BS in Engineering or minimum of 7 (seven) years of Engineering experience is required with a BS in Engineering Technology.

FirstEnergy Human Resources Team