Experience

• 

  Energy Queensland

  • Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

  • Principal Engineer

    • May 2020 - Present
    • Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

• 

  Energex

  • Brisbane, Australia

  • Principal Engineer - Maintenance Policy

    • Jan 2012 - May 2020
    • Brisbane, Australia

    • Develop, review, maintain, deploy and provide ongoing support for electricity network transmission and distribution asset joint working (with Ergon Energy) maintenance policies, protocols, standards, products and systems including:o Lines maintenanceo Substation maintenanceo Vegetation maintenanceo Maintenance frequencieso Maintenance job cardso Defect Manuals and defects prioritisationo Maintenance acceptance criteria• Provide input into the development of the five year maintenance program of work, in conjunction with Asset Lifecycle Management Group and provide on-going support to implement maintenance program of work.• Keep abreast of Australian and International best practice for asset management, maintenance standards and practices whilst incorporating these into Energex’s asset management, maintenance policies, standards and practices.• Provide expert technical consultancy services to service providers and others on all aspects of electricity distribution and transmission assets.• Scope and specify technical requirements, evaluate tenders for the management and maintenance of electricity network distribution and transmission assets, including liaison with contract managers/user groups. • Carry out coaching of departmental staff and trainees and recommend training in relevant technical competencies to achieve the Group’s strategic and Departmental goals.

• 

  Ergon Energy

  • Senior Engineer Substation Maintenance Standards

    • Jan 2009 - Jan 2012

    • Manage the day to day activities of substation maintenance staff and coordinate the activities of other network staff and operations staff to ensure that the overall objectives of substation maintenance are met.• Development, documentation, approval, publication and review of maintenance policies, strategies, standards and instructions for substation assets that reflect corporate objectives.• Ensure that maintenance policies, strategies and standards comply with requirements of the Electricity Act and associated Regulations, the Workplace Health and Safety Act, environmental legislation, other regulatory requirements and relevant Australian and international standards.• As nominated Subject Matter Expert in allocated asset classes, review maintenance and refurbishment plans including long term forecasts of asset performance, OPEX and CAPEX expenditure, and recommend amendments to standards and policies as required.• Provide input on maintenance requirements and equipment performance standards for the specification of new equipment, and provide feedback on actual performance once installed.• Define the acceptance criteria for classifying and reporting asset condition.• Provide subject matter expertise into the investigation of root cause analysis of equipment failures. Ensure an appropriate remedial action plan is developed, managed and completed within the required time frames.• Conduct research into best practice maintenance of substation assets and implement such best practices. Utilise industry substation and equipment forums to share technical expertise and information.• Provide strategic maintenance support on decision making on condition based maintenance and recommending improvements and remedial measures on aged and new high voltage plant.

  • Highvoltage Test and Condition Monitoring Engineer

    • May 2002 - Jan 2009

    • Organise, devise, research, plan and perform high voltage testing on field and workshop plant.• Lead investigations on failed or suspect plant, report on findings through an engineering discipline.• Provide engineering and training support to implement work methods that take advantage of technological opportunities.• Carry out factory witness tests on transformers, switchgear panels, and capacitor banks at manufactures facility as part of a quality assurance process to ensure the factory tests are performed according to the specifications.• Provide technical input on technical specifications to reflect novel test methods to evaluate proper functionality of HV electrical plant.• Establish efficient methods for recording of testing progress.• In partnership with customers develop and monitor high voltage testing processes so that cost effective methods and test equipment are being used to perform field and workshop testing.• Maintain a high testing standard and forward suggestions for development and improvements to plant and processes.

• 

  Snowy Hydro Limited

  • Cooma NSW Australia

  • Strategic Engineer

    • Jan 1996 - May 2002
    • Cooma NSW Australia

    • Development of optimum refurbishment/replacement plan of the major assets, based on asset condition and risk based assessments, and prioritising future projects associated with grid or power station major assets.• Development of policies/strategies for major electrical plants considering asset condition, insulation coordination and fault current ratings.• Maintaining a database of transformer oil analysis results and preparation of condition reports regularly. • Development of maintenance policies and procedures for earthing system maintenance, transformer high voltage testing, vacuum refilling of generator transformers, transformer dry-outs and transformer maintenance. • Carry out duties of high voltage test engineer including development of HV test procedures, hazard assessments and analysis of test results - well versed with Australian standard for HV testing (AS 1931 and AS 4362).• Carry out on the job training for HV test personnel and nominating HV test recipients for authorisation. • Condition monitoring and HV testing of generator transformers up to 330kV/150MVA - including DGA, DDF/capacitance tests of windings/bushings.• Condition monitoring of HV cables by DGA, PD and HV test results.• Condition monitoring of hydro-power generators using on line partial discharge (PD) techniques using IRIS -PDA IV partial discharge analyser and PDA IV lite software and other visual and electrical techniques (DDF/Capacitance, IR/PI etc.)• Carry out failure investigations.• Develop/monitor PCB management plans. • Manage projects from concept to completion to customer satisfaction (within budget and on time).• Conduct feasibility studies, economic evaluations, budget proposals, project commencement proposals, study environment facts (REF etc.)• Prepare tender specifications, pre/post tender negotiations, technical evaluation of tenders and contract management.