What are the responsibilities and job description for the High Voltage Technician position at EDPR?
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The HV Technician will provide electrical, high-voltage (HV), and substation emergency response to operating wind farms across the Company with a primary focus in an assigned region. You will lead maintenance, service, and repair of HV assets in conjunction with other technicians and HV Reliability Engineers.
Main accountabilities:
- Monitor and provide electrical, high-voltage, and substation support to operating wind farms in an assigned region, including 24/7 on-call support
- Perform testing, repairs, switching, and construction activities as requested
- Provide technical expertise for commissioning, start-up, and initial operating activities
- Maintain HV spare parts inventory and warehouse
- Perform HV switching of step-up transformers, feeder breakers, gang-operated switches, and other related components
- Operate heavy machinery such as bucket/line trucks, forklifts, aerial lifts, and overhead cranes
- Analyze and report on infrared inspections, battery maintenance, and dielectric oil and SF6 sampling
- Lead substation maintenance via Orders to Operate (OTOs) and outage planning
- Perform substation and transmission inspections in accordance with NERC compliance requirements
- Work closely with site Operations Managers to ensure day-to-day reliability
- Serve as the first responder for emergency and routine repairs on HV equipment, including transmission lines, HV cable terminations, and splices
- Provide remote HV support to the HV Reliability Engineers for complex troubleshooting, component testing, and proof checking
- Ensure adherence to all pertinent HV OSHA safety requirements
- Provide detailed written reports to management including root cause analyses
- Maintain HV vehicle in ready-to-respond order
- Perform critical HV test equipment calibrations
- Additional duties as required
Direct reports: None
Travel: 30%
Minimum qualifications:
- High School diploma or equivalent, plus continuing education in the electro-mechanical field
- 5 years of relevant technical experience; experience in power generation or distribution preferred
- Necessary qualifications to operate HV equipment
- Strong knowledge of medium- and high-voltage substation electrical equipment, collection systems, transmission design, and operations; familiarity with power factor test sets, AC/DC hi-pots, low res ohm meters, and transformer turns ratio test units preferred
- Familiarity with electronic communication systems (SCADA)
- Familiarity with Order to Operate (OTO) and Lock-Out Tag-Out (LOTO) procedures
- Ability to operate a motor vehicle and possession of a valid driver’s license
- Understanding of Microsoft products and/or complementing products. (Preferred)
- Competency in Analytical Problem Solving, Strong Communication, Customer/Partner Relationships, and Technology Expertise. (Preferred).
Behavioral requirements:
- Strong problem-solving ability
- Ability to be self-motivated and work with minimal supervision
- Ability to multi-task in a complex, dynamic environment
- Ability to perform basic electrical mathematical calculations
- Ability to read and understand plans, specifications, drawings, and documents relating to engineering and construction, including one-line, three-line, and wiring diagrams
- Ability to work with other crews performing high line maintenance and repair
- Familiarity with the operation of capacitor banks, transformer load tap changers, and motor operated air breaks
- Willingness and ability to travel at least 30%
- Ability and willingness to respond to site emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as needed
Physical demands & working conditions:
- Sitting/Standing/Flexibility: Ability to frequently perform physical tasks including standing, sitting, walking, kneeling, bending, twisting, squatting, and reaching approximately 75% of the time while on wind farm sites. Ability to stand and sit for 8 or more hours when in an office environment.
- Walking: Ability to walk .25 to .5 miles per day, including across unpaved and rough surfaces when on wind farm sites
- Speech/Reading: Ability to speak, read, and write English proficiently and deliver a variety of instructions furnished in written, verbal, diagram, or schedule form
- Lifting: Ability to frequently lift items weighing up to 60 pounds and to occasionally lift items weighing between 60 and 100 pounds
- Climbing:
- Ability to climb turbine towers in excess of 100 meters in height
- Weight, including harness and tools, must be in accordance with the weight limit as specified by the ANSI Fall Protection Standards
- Vision/Hearing: Ability to interpret and follow a variety of instructions furnished in written, verbal, diagram, or schedule form
- Tolerance to Extreme Weather Conditions: Ability to work in adverse weather conditions 25% of the time while on wind farm sites
- Safety: Ability to understand and communicate safety precautions when necessary
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)