Energy System Operator; Doq

Position: ENERGY SYSTEM OPERATOR (DOQ)

Salary $28.77 - $51.80 Hourly, Depending on Qualifications

Job Summary

Under general supervision, performs skilled and technical work in the operation of the Brownsville Public Utilities Board ( BPUB ) Bulk Electric System ( BES ) for the delivery of electricity from BPUB’s generation resources to the transmission and distribution systems.

Responsibilities Energy System Operator Apprentice

Operates the BPUB BES system in compliance with standard utility practices, BPUB procedures & department guides, Electric Reliability Council of Texas ( ERCOT ) Guides & Protocols, and North America Electric Reliability Corporations ( NERC ) Standards;
Operates the electric system Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition ( SCADA ) computer system in real-time operation.

Monitors the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) system parameters and ensures that equipment is within operational limits, including but not limited to system frequency, and voltage levels; reports limit violations; mitigates operating emergencies to avoid uncontrollable failure of components or cascading outages of the interconnection.

Assists with coordinating outages and switching orders with BPUB personnel, ERCOT , and adjacent Local Control Centers LCCs.

Carries out dispatcher-related duties, such as answering customer calls, addressing customer inquiries, creating service requests and service orders from internal and external customers, dispatching field personnel as needed, and a variety of other clerical and receptionist duties related to the dispatch function.

Assists with creating an hour-by-hour forecast of energy required to meet the needs of all BPUB customers; adjusts load forecasts as needed.

Assists with gathering unit availability and unit cost from BPUB’s resources (Silas Ray, Sendero and Hidalgo) and reports it to BPUB’s Qualified Scheduling Entity ( QSE ) and works with QSE to schedule generation and energy purchases to meet BPUB’s load forecast while facilitating the sale of excess energy into the market.

Completes other job duties as assigned

Energy System Operator (in addition to the duties listed above)

Coordinates outages with BPUB personnel, ERCOT , and adjacent Local Control Centers LCCs, before entering outages into the ERCOT outage portal for approval;
Creates switching orders, and coordinates with personnel involved or affected by the switching.

Creates, coordinates, and directs switching orders for Transmission, Distribution, Generation outages, and load transfers with personnel involved or affected by the switching.

Calculates gas required, orders gas from gas supplier and sets up transportation for gas in order to run Silas Ray generation as scheduled by QSE.

Senior Energy System Operator (in addition to the duties listed above)

Assists in coordinating severe weather drills, preparing annual Black Start Plan & associated tests, and with BPUB’s Compliance Responsibilities, ensuring ECC complies with industry standards and regulations, including NERC , ERCOT , Public Utility Commission of Texas ( PUCT ), and Texas Reliability Entity ( TRE ).

Provides system improvement recommendations based on Outage Coordination/Switching Procedure limitations.

Lead Energy System Operator (in addition to the duties listed above)

Serves as a Subject Matter Expert ( SME ) for the Energy Control Center ( ECC ) NERC Compliance Program, and represents BPUB at ERCOT and/or NERC meetings and workshops.

Coordinates severe weather drills and prepares annual Black Start Plan and associated tests.

Assists ECC Manager with reports and projects and contributes to specific objectives and outcomes as directed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Energy System Operators have the authority and responsibility to take and/or direct timely and appropriate real-time actions. Such actions shall include, but are not limited to, cancelling outages, dispatching real and reactive power resources, and shedding of firm load to prevent or alleviate system operating limit violations or as needed to maintain the safe and reliable operation of the BES .

These actions are performed without obtaining approval from higher-level personnel within the BPUB . May provide training and…