Mike Sutter

Assisted in daily operations, ensuring compliance with safety standards and protocols. Manage the Local Balancing Authority Area for MEC while working alongside other departments, all generation that loads are accounted for properly and the load to resource balance is maintained. Act as representative on regional Midwest Reliability Organization, Midwest ISO and committees. Manage outage coordination to ensure reliability of the bulk electric system. Modify existing and develop new operational strategies necessary to support department goals. Perform administrative tasks necessary for effective management of the group, including employee safety, selection and development of employees, salary and budget administration, and planning, measuring and reporting work performance as a team.

Plans, coordinates and directs the daily operation, maintenance, construction, testing and commissioning of substation and underground facilities, including communication interface equipment; the installation and commissioning of generating plant instrumentation and computerized relay protection control systems and installation, commissioning and maintenance of complex distribution control systems. Conducts safety and technical training of union personnel. Develops, implements, updates and effectively communicates safety programs, work practices and test procedures. Provide an environment that promotes learning, completion of assigned tasks/projects, with safety being the top priority. Evaluates and coordinates substation maintenance and construction activities, evaluates system security in completing current day and future planning requirements and assists in development of operating guides and procedures for normal and abnormal conditions. Maintains compliance with all federal, state and local regulations and associated permit, including all applicable environmental, health and occupational safety and health administration safety regulations.

Coordinated cross-functional teams to streamline project workflows and enhance collaboration. Manage LOTO and EIP procedures. Provide guidance to transmission operations concerning reliability and economics with a high degree of confidence, integrity, and judgment. Conducted training sessions for new team members, promoting skill development and knowledge sharing. Actively engaged in designing new outage plans and procedures while making safety a top priority.

Operated and monitored transmission systems, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards set by MISO, NERC and MRO. Maintain proper VAR loading and voltage levels on the transmission system internally and as directed by MISO. Coordinate requests for equipment outages to ensure reliability of the inter-connected system. Utilize network applications ranging from dispatching power flow, state estimator and contingency analysis. Provide training within the system operations department as well as to field personnel. Ensure safe, reliable and economic operation of the BES

Provide assistance with plant operational information and issues through communications with generation plant personnel. Work to achieve optimum economic resource utilization while considering plant performance, regulatory compliance, and reliability of the interconnected system. Effectively respond to MISO directives related to unit commitments and actions taken in abnormal and emergency operational events within the MISO footprint. Serve as point of control and communication for actions to correct capacity and energy deficiencies.

Operate the transmission system according to guidelines set by NERC, FERC and the MRO.
Maintain proper VAR and voltage levels on the transmission system. Coordinate requests for equipment outages to ensure reliability of the inter-connected system. Provide training within the system operations department as well as to field personnel. Ensure safe, reliable and economic operation of the BES.

Read and interprets drawings, wiring diagrams, specifications, manufacturer’s instructions and work orders pertaining to substation, transmission and distribution circuit’s construction and maintenance.

Diagnosed electrical issues using advanced testing equipment, enhancing system reliability.

Maintained excellent communication with supervisors, control room operators, and other stakeholders to ensure smooth operations at the substation site.