Engineer, Grid Integration and Interconnection Services

About the Role

The Engineer – Grid Integration and Interconnection supports Vistra’s growing portfolio of Large Load and various Generation projects in the development organization. This role actively contributes to the fast-paced Grid Integration and Interconnection Services team by preparing and managing interconnection applications, material modification requests, and reviewing transmission and interconnection studies such as steady state, stability, subsynchronous oscillation (SSO), short circuit, facilities studies, reactive power studies, and quarterly stability assessments. The position also involves supporting market-related evaluations to identify optimal point of interconnection locations and estimating network upgrades and cost allocation per relevant ISO processes.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and manage new interconnection applications for large load interconnection, new generator interconnections, replacement generation, fuel conversions, uprates of Vistra assets, material modification requests, model quality test reports, and reactive capability reports for ISOs as projects progress through development to commercial operation.
• Support steady state power flow and dynamic stability models, short circuit studies, SSO studies, PSCAD models, collector system single line diagrams, substation one-lines, sizing major equipment configurations, site layouts, and other required technical details to support interconnection applications.
• Analyze optimal point of interconnection locations, switching and protection schemes of substations, relay coordination studies, review model accuracies, system impact, stability, SSO, short circuit, and facilities studies from ISOs/utilities.
• Develop and manage study models and assist in performing injection, deliverability, and transmission studies to determine transmission constraints, available transmission capacity, upgrade costs, and optimal POI locations across all ISOs and/or NERC regions.
• Support Generation Interconnection Agreement (GIA) negotiations and participate in regulatory policy to improve interconnection process/queue reforms of ISOs.
• Review ISO/Utilities interconnection queue and transmission expansion plans for potential opportunities.
• Assess Locational Marginal Pricing (LMP), congestion risk, curtailment risk, and basis risk.
• Develop and refine internal tools that support Grid Intelligence and Interconnection efforts.
• Follow Large Load Interconnection and Generator Interconnection requirements of ISOs/Utilities and NERC standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
• At least 4 years of experience in the transmission and interconnection process in one or more ISO regions, with prior experience preparing interconnection applications for ISOs such as CAISO, MISO, ERCOT, NYISO, PJM, SPP, and ISO-NE.
• At least 4 years of experience in load flow analysis, dynamic analysis, and short circuit studies using tools such as PowerGEM TARA, PSS/E, PSLF, DSATools, and ASPEN/CAPE.
• At least 4 years of experience performing injection, deliverability, and available transfer capability studies.
• Understanding and assessing basis risk, LMP, and curtailment risk using tools such as TARA, UPLAN, PROMOD, etc. (preferred).
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong team collaboration and ability to meet timelines.

Key Metrics

• Ability to meet timelines with minimal impact to schedule.
• Maintain knowledge of interconnection procedures, ISO requirements, and NERC standards.
• Effective team collaboration and communication skills.
• Monitor transmission expansion plans in ISO/Utilities regions.

Location: Irving, Texas