Tom Jones, PE
Renewable Energy Consultant | Interconnection, Transmission, Distribution | Systems Planning, Design & Operations
Fishers,IN
Summary
Driven to make a difference, achieve goals, and contribute to the energy transition.
"Advocates, Defends, and Complies" with jurisdictions to advance all efforts contributing to portfolio and project success. Possesses solid business, technical, leadership skills to drive success and manage risks. Experienced in all aspects of project origination - technical, financial, legal, regulatory, procurement, construction, commission, and operations. Experienced in direct project origination to due diligence activities with mergers and acquisitions. Mastery of complex analytical skills to evaluate and understand intricate issues to assess project viability from a commercial and technical perspectives. Managed and led direct and cross-functional teams ranging from ten to thirty, respectively.
Overview
38
38
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
12
12
Certifications
Work History
Director of Transmission and Interconnection
EnerNex, Parent - CESI (Milan, Italy)
06.2023 - Current
- Strategic and directional mindset, seasoned industry veteran, advancing EnerNex's ambition to penetrate renewable energy market through development and extension of its service lines to provide for all aspect of power systems consulting for Transmission and Interconnection.
- 360 Degree Strategy & Implementation - Define value proposition; Develop market strategy; Establish market differentiators; Establish team, process and technology; Establish enabling business to business partnerships, Interface and develop business; Prepare proposals – commercial and technical; Oversee, direct, contribute, and support all aspects of delivery of studies aimed to assess commercial, technical viability, to make applications with jurisdictions, to advance forward through all subsequent project phases; Maintain constant awareness of regulatory matters; Transition processes to Order 2023.
- Contribute as subject matter expert – national and internationally; Perform "hands-on" activities - project success criteria, defining jurisdictional criteria and methods; performing progressively more rigorous power system studies - modeling, analysis, reporting. Bounding risks on a continuous basis to manage uncertainties.
Managing Consultant
Daymark Energy Advisors
06.2021 - 06.2023
- Delivers compelling value to renewable energy developers, transmission developers and utilities, with focus to decarbonize the power and energy landscape providing strategic advice, definition of approach, and rigorous analysis to enable decision-making and advance projects.
- Strategic mindset, setting and providing direction to advance corporate of growth initiatives from multidimensional perspective involving business development, service line management, process development, quality assurance and project execution.
- Advancing sales enablement methods for effective "Lead to Sales" processes and "Wins". Supports business development activities – prospecting, lead development, proposal preparation, marketing campaigns, and collateral development.
- Directs and sponsors transmission planning, generator interconnection, and wholesale power market integration projects.
- Projects involve power system planning for determining technical and commercial viability for generation resource and transmission projects ranging from steady-state analysis to sophisticated dynamic analysis with model validation via EMTP/PSCAD.
- Implements strategy of "incremental progress" with continuous improvement mindset to drive traction and progress strategic goals.
Electrical Systems Planning Engineer
Commonwealth Associates Remote
01.2019 - 06.2021
- Responsible for engineering and project management for electrical system studies, including: Transmission System Planning and Analysis, Distribution Planning and Analysis, Generator Interconnection Studies, NERC Transmission and Protection Assessment and Compliance Studies and Audits
- Engaged with business development activities and proposal preparation.
Principal Advisor/ Senior Manager
MISO
08.2003 - 01.2019
- Held key positions with varying levels of leadership and technical responsibilities including Principal Advisor/ Senior Manager- Compliance Program, Principal Engineer- Transmission Security Planning, Senior Manager- Operations, Procedures & Compliance, Lead Technical Engineer- Planning, and Manager- Regional Operations Engineering. Served as mentor, for a multi-disciplinary staff. Performed hiring duties, coaching, training, and performance management.
- Responsible for oversight of Day Ahead and Next Day Security Planning Analysis processes. Provided engineering support, and leadership to various control room and support functions within
- Operations. Facilitated communications among stakeholders, including interactions with transmission owners, market participants, neighboring RTOs, and first tier companies.
- Facilitated collection of process, controls and evidence documentation for FERC and NERC Compliance Areas to provide MISO with a baseline for its compliance position. Developed and maintained interim databases to support MISO’s Compliance Model.
- Directed the activities of the Operations, Procedures & Compliance Department, responsible for monitoring the development of new and revised NERC Reliability Standards; NAESB Standards; Regional Standards and Regional Variances and developing and implementing operational processes necessary to support defined operational objectives, while ensuring adherence to the Standards and capture of documentary evidence.
- Developed and maintained solid knowledge of Standards, Protocols, and Guides. Provided guidance to impacted business departments and groups on the implementation of Standards, Protocols, and Guides. Managed Regional Operations Engineers who supported Reliability Coordination staff in the assessment of operating conditions and development of mitigation plans.
- Supervised transmission service planning engineers. Served as subject matter expert providing technical consultancy internal and external to the company. Tasked with automating study processes and developing internal production metrics. Developed departmental database to enable study queue management. Developed Python API’s to enable automated post processing of PSSE analysis results.
Interconnection Planning Engineer
Minnesota Power
09.1999 - 08.2003
- Responsible for completing system planning activities related to Minnesota Power's electric transmission power systems
- Recent activities include technical lead and contributor to the Red River Valley/West Central Minnesota Transmission Improvement Study, participant in the MAPP Composite System Reliability Working Group's reserve obligation study, evaluation of Minnesota Power operational constraints, planning support for the Arrowhead-Weston 345kV transmission line project, review of safety practices for air break switch operation, support of MISO activities, and analysis of customer issues.
Transmission Distribution Engineer
Burns & McDonnell
09.1994 - 09.1999
- Formed and managed Electrical System Studies Department. Project manager, technical consultant and technical writer.
- Responsibilities include power systems analysis and design, protective device coordination, control scheme design, electrical equipment specification and procurement, field support and client liaison.
Transmission & Distribution Engineer
Sargent & Lundy Engineers
01.1991 - 09.1994
- Responsible for substation engineering and design, substation design automation, equipment procurement, installation work and client liaison
- Supervised design and drafting personnel
- Monitored project schedules.
Research Assistant
University of Illinois
04.1990
- Formulated an improved synchronous machine model, which correctly incorporated nonlinear iron core saturation effects into model equations applicable for both round rotor and salient-pole rotor synchronous machines
- Results reported in Conservative Coupling Field Assumptions: A Synchronous Machine Model Investigation.
Staff Sergeant
U.S, Honorably Discharged
12.1985 - 12.1991
- F-4 and F-16 aircraft armament systems trained
- Responsible for servicing, installation, removal, troubleshooting and maintenance of conventional and nuclear weapons systems.
Education
MBA - E-Business
University of Phoenix
Remote 04.2002 - 07.2006
Bachelor of Science - Power Emphasis
University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL 01.1987 - 12.1990
Skills
Consulting
Electric Transmission
Electrical Engineering
NERC Standards Compliance
Power Systems Planning & Operations
Power Systems Studies (Steady-State, Dynamic, Stability)
Program & Project Management
Reliability Engineering
Software Engineering
T&D Facility Design
Affiliations
- GRC Achievement Award, OCEG, 2011
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Senior Member
Accomplishments
- GRC Achievement Award, OCEG, 2011
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Senior Member
Timeline
Director of Transmission and Interconnection
EnerNex, Parent - CESI (Milan, Italy)
06.2023 - Current
Managing Consultant
Daymark Energy Advisors
06.2021 - 06.2023
Electrical Systems Planning Engineer
Commonwealth Associates Remote
01.2019 - 06.2021
Principal Advisor/ Senior Manager
MISO
08.2003 - 01.2019
MBA - E-Business
University of Phoenix
04.2002 - 07.2006
Interconnection Planning Engineer
Minnesota Power
09.1999 - 08.2003
Transmission Distribution Engineer
Burns & McDonnell
09.1994 - 09.1999
Transmission & Distribution Engineer
Sargent & Lundy Engineers
01.1991 - 09.1994
Research Assistant
University of Illinois
04.1990
Bachelor of Science - Power Emphasis
University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
01.1987 - 12.1990
Staff Sergeant
U.S, Honorably Discharged
12.1985 - 12.1991
Professional Registration
- Professional Engineer – Missouri (027583)
- NCEES Record (19439)
Publications
- “Modern Grid Energy Resources in A Decentralized Energy Future”, IEEE Power Engineering Society, Atlanta, 2019.
- “Transmission Security Planning, Modeling & Analysis”, PowerGem Software User Group Meeting, 2017
- Business Process Management (BPM) “Creating the Culture”, Gartner Business Process Management Summit, 2012
- Red River Valley / West Central Minnesota Transmission Improvement Planning Study, Minnesota Power Systems Conference, Fall 2002
- Enabling Virtual Organizations Formed Through Deregulation of the Electric Utility Industry, MISO Presentation, June 2002
- Automated Reporting of Facility Ratings, Minnesota Power Systems Conference, Fall 2000
- Avoiding the Pitfalls of Power Factor Correction, Pure Power Magazine, Fall 1998
- A Guide To Power Factor Improvement, Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine, November 1997, Cover Article
- Conservative Coupling Field Assumptions: A Synchronous Machine Model Investigation, IEEE Power Engineering Society, Student Prize Paper Contest 1990
Professional Registration
- Professional Engineer – Missouri (027583)
- NCEES Record (19439)
Experience - ISO/RTOs, Transmission Providers
- MISO, ISO NE, PJM, NYISO, SPP, ERCOT
- Strategic Transmission & Resource Interconnection
- AC & HV DC Transmission
- LGIP, SGIP: Conventional, Wind (Offshore), Solar, Battery Energy Storage, Hybrid
Essential Skills (Business)
Guides the Organization
- Strategic Mindset; Business Development; Client Market Focus; Results Orientation
- Strategic Roadmaps, Operating Plans, Profit & Loss Responsibility
Directs & Influences Others
- Collaboration; Communicates with Impact; Talent Mindset
Effective & Solid Self Contributions
- Adaptability, Growth Mindset, Critical Thinking
Publications
- 2035 and Beyond: Abundant, Affordable Offshore Wind Can Accelerate Our Clean Electricity Future, Key contributer to Transmission Planning Narrative; Published corporately by GridLab.org
- “Modern Grid Energy Resources in A Decentralized Energy Future”, IEEE Power Engineering Society, Atlanta, 2019.
- “Transmission Security Planning, Modeling & Analysis”, PowerGem Software User Group Meeting, 2017
- Business Process Management (BPM) “Creating the Culture”, Gartner Business Process Management Summit, 2012
- Red River Valley / West Central Minnesota Transmission Improvement Planning Study, Minnesota Power Systems Conference, Fall 2002
- Enabling Virtual Organizations Formed Through Deregulation of the Electric Utility Industry, MISO Presentation, June 2002
- Automated Reporting of Facility Ratings, Minnesota Power Systems Conference, Fall 2000
- Avoiding the Pitfalls of Power Factor Correction, Pure Power Magazine, Fall 1998
- A Guide To Power Factor Improvement, Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine, November 1997, Cover Article
- Conservative Coupling Field Assumptions: A Synchronous Machine Model Investigation, IEEE Power Engineering Society, Student Prize Paper Contest 1990