Beau Van Kirk Email & Phone Number

Texas, United States

Texas, United States

Provide direct support for real-time operations in primary control center. Maintain and troubleshoot central Energy Management System (EMS) and Market Management System (MMS) components including State Estimator, Real-Time Contingency Analysis, and SCADA (GE/Alstom), Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch and Reliability Unit Commitment (ABB), Voltage and Transient Stability Assessment (Powertech VSAT and TSAT). Conduct real-time and future studies. Prepare system event reports for loss of generation, price events, generic transmission constraint violations, etc. Develop tools for real-time operations and past/future analysis (VBA, OSISoft PI, Javascript, Python, SQL, etc.) Develop real-time mitigation plans for irresolvable network congestion and voltage issues. Identify and propose solutions for problems with network model. Work with TSPs and market participants to resolve issues with telemetry.

Develop and implement State Estimator data redaction methodology for delivery of operations data to market participants. Conduct next-day and two-day ahead studies including contingency analysis and voltage/transient stability assessment. Assist with commissioning of new resources including large volume of new wind and solar projects. Build and debug weekly power-flow study case following database update for use throughout multiple groups.

Seattle, Wa

Developed and coded three-phase distribution level state and parameter estimators, steady-state models of various distributed generation-scale wind energy configurations for study in power flow, and transient-level model of inverter for integration in distribution system analysis software.

Work Study position in Electrical Engineering Department Main Office, later teaching assistant for EE courses.

Worked with EE graduate students and technical writers to write grant proposals as well as technical journal and conference papers in the energy and sensing fields.

Undertook construction of Material Standards guide for use throughout the utility. Assisted Materials & Standards department with assessment of new material/equipment candidates. Investigated environmental concerns with transformer oil and pole treatment.

Designed Adobe Flash and static web advertisements/promotions for ChinesePod and other projects.

Designed and built websites for new housing developments & agent listings. Drafted flyers and ads for promotions & residential listings. Assisted agents & staff with computer, printing and networking issues. Coordinated system audit on all office computers.

M.S.E.E., Electrical Engineering, Energy Systems

Anticipated Thesis Area: Wind Integration Issues

B.S.E.E., Electrical Engineering, Sustainable Electrical Energy, Minor: Chinese

Activities and Societies: Member of Wind Integration Research Lab: Currently coordinating study to examine effect of increased offshore.

Certificate, Advanced Chinese Studies

Conducted a study examining renewable energy initiatives in China and public attitudes toward climate change and energy.