Over 30 years of professional experience providing research and consulting services to electric and gas utilities, merchant power plants, and government agencies. Specialties include development and application of advanced methods for electric system planning and dispatch, merchant plant bidding, data acquisition and control, optimal resource allocation, and capital asset management. Extensive experience in estimating replacement power costs due to cycling-related forced outages (over 150 fossil power plants), and in testifying on the cost impacts of major forced outages. Assistance in using incremental damage costs and heat rates in negotiating power purchase contracts. Served seven years on the Palo Alto Utilities Commission.
EXPERIENCE SUMMARY
- Engineering economics
- Operations simulation
- Utility system planning
- Economic decision analysis
- Retire/Mothball/Lite Extend
- Repair/Replace/Mitigate
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- Plant tariffs and bidding
- Data acquisition/control systems
- Plant operation cost forecasts
- Unit reliability/availability analysis
- Expert testimony
- Plant equipment life optimization
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INDUSTRIES
- Fossil and nuclear power generation
- Electric transmission
- Waste water
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- Hydropower
- Water supply
- Petrochemical
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RECENT WORK
- Master plans for all client power plants including long-term equipment capital and maintenance forecasts, environmental equipment costs, and economic comparisons with new generation plants.
- Assessed value of generation assets for owner, and made “life extend/retire/mothball” recommendations for various units in system.
- Managed several asset valuation projects for clients contemplating either purchase or sales of generation assets. These projects include some or all of the maintenance expenditures; transmission and fuel supply constraints; and future cost of environmental upgrades.
- Developed power plant cost forecasts for long-term power contract preparation.
- Prepared testimony and testified before various state commissions on the impact of generation unit cycling on variable maintenance and operations costs, and the implications on IPP avoided costs.
- Involved as testifier in law suits regarding “business interruption” damages of power plant outages
- Developed economic decision tools for addressing how to optimize capacity maintenance and capitol expenditures, including determining optimal strategies for inspection, repair, and replacement for equipment.
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
- B.S. (Physics), University of Puget Sound (1968)
- M.S. (Ocean Engineering), University of Rhode Island (1970)
- Utility Commissioner for City of Palo Alto, Electric, Water, and Gas Utilities (1991 to 1996); Chairman of Commission for Two Years
SELECTED REPORTS, PUBLICATIONS, AND INVITED LECTURES
Equipment Life Optimization Program at Marion Generating Station, Unit 4 Phase 1, with James Yavelak, APTECH Report AES 06036102-2-1 (April 2006).
Life Management Plan for the High Energy Piping at the Moss Landing Combined Cycle Plant, with Osborne Nye, APTECH Report AES 05045765-2-1 (June 2005).
Life Assessment Overview for Colorado Springs Utilties - Volume 1, with Thomas Burnett, Joseph Lesiuk, and Robin Wesley, APTECH Report AES 05015656-2-2 (September 2005).
Equipment Life Optimization Program (ELOP) Helps Plants Compete by Maximizing Maintenance Efficiencies, with Thomas Burnett (APTECH), Jeff Paul (NRG), and Tom Berg (NRG), PowerGen (2004).
Cost of Cycling Analysis for Allegheny Energy's Hatfield's Ferry Unit 1, with James Yavelak, Philip Besuner, Steven Lefton, and Dwight Agan, APTECH Report AES 04025308-2-1 (August 2004).
Ten Year Maintenance, Inspection Plans, and Budget Forecast for Encina Units 4 and 5, with Thomas Burnett, APTECH Report AES 03055070-2-1 (July 2003).
Ten-Year Maintenance, Inspection Plans, and Budget Forecasts for El Segundo Units 3 and 4, APTECH Report AES 03055068-2-1 (July 2003).
Cost of Cycling System-Wide Report for Cinergy, with Steve Lefton, Philip Besuner, and Todd Kuntz, APTECH Report AES 02064810-2-10 (May 2003).
El Segundo Unit 4 Hydrogen Damage Causes and Correction Options, APTECH Report AES 01044370-2-1 (July 2001).
Evaluation of Generation Expansion Options, APTECH Report AES 01044362-2-1 (June 2001).
Sheerness Capacity Enhancement Evaluation Preliminary Report, APTECH Report AES 00114201-2-1 (December 2000).
System Analysis of Generation Unit Loading and Dispatch Practices, APTECH Report AES 99123866-2-1 (May 2000).
Long-Term Cost Projections and Value Assessment for Salt River Project Shared Coal Plants: Navajo, Four Corners, Mohave, with Kevin Hara, Steven Lefton, Kenneth Ecoffey, and Thomas Burnett, APTECH Report AES 99053705-2-3 (December 1999).
Reliability UNIRAM Study for Alcoa - Project Summary, APTECH Report AES 99083761-2-1 (November 1999).
Reliability and Maintenance Analysis for the Suncor Energy, Inc. Millennium Project, with James Yavelak, Rodney Dail, Kenneth Ecoffey, Kevin Hara, Mike Santucci, and Todd Kuntz, APTECH Report AES 98043365-23-1 (September 1998).
Assessment of Plant Condition and Future Cost Estimation for Moss Landing, Alamitos, and Huntington Beach Plants, APTECH Report AES 97103206-2 (November 1997).
Cost of Cycling of Coronado Unit 2, with Steven Lefton, APTECH Report AES 97063099-2-1 (October 1997).
Increasing Hydro Use: One Solution to Controlling Rising Utility O&M Costs, Hydro Review, Volume XVI, Number 5 (with Steven A. Lefton) (September 1997).
1997 Reliability and Capacity Management Studies Pinjarra Powerhouse Steam Plan, APTECH Report AES 97043041-2-1 (August 1997).
Risk Based Economic Decision Model for CEDM Inspection and Repair Management at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Fourth EPRI Workshop on PWSCC of Alloy 600 in PWRs, Daytona Beach, Florida (February 25-27, 1997).
Cost of Cycling Estimates for Louisville Gas & Electric Company Fossil Generation Units, Steven Lefton, Philip Besuner, Todd Kuntz, Kenneth Ecoffey, and James Yavelak, APTECH Report AES 96012618-2-3 (January 1997).
Summary of Results for Economic Decision Modeling for CRDM Nozzle Management, APTECH Report AES 95072484-1-1 (February 1996).
Reliability and Capacity Management Study, Pinjarra Powerhouse Steam Plant, APTECH Report AES 95062474-2-1 (January 1996).
Capacity Maintenance Project City of Burbank, with Kevin Hara, APTECH Report AES 94092279-2-4 (December 1995).
Cost of Load-Following with Paradise, Unit 3, APTECH Report AES 95052452-2-1 (September 1995).
Managing Utility Power Plant Assets to Economically Optimize Power Plant Cycling Costs, Life, and Reliability, Presented at EPRI Cycling Conference (September 1994).
Review and Improvement of Florida Power & Light Company Methodology for Estimating the Cost of Cycling, with P. Besuner, S. Lefton, APTECH Report AES 91011380-2-1 (February 1991).
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