Senior Operational Controller, Renewables Control Centre

at  ESB

Vacancy Number: 25955
Engineering - Other
Job Type: Full-time
ESB is a purpose led company striving to create a brighter future for the customers and communities we serve, leading the transition to reliable, affordable, low-carbon energy. Today, we operate one of the most progressive electricity systems in the world, with activities spanning electricity generation, transmission, distribution and supply in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain, and an international energy consulting business.
With almost 8,000 employees we invested €1bn in infrastructure last year, contributed over €2bn to the economies we operate in and distributed over €2m across a range of community initiatives. This requires us to bring the best of our capabilities together to deliver innovative and value-driven solutions that enable our customers to live low-carbon lives. ESB strives to foster an effective and inclusive culture where people engage, challenge and feel connected to our purpose, colleagues, customers and community.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Renewable Operations is a division within ESB Generation and Trading with responsibility for the management of the Operation and Maintenance of ESB’s renewable assets portfolio. The portfolio currently consists of Onshore Wind, Battery Energy Storage Systems, Flexible Gas Plant and a Synchronous Condenser. The further development of the portfolio will include the expansion of these assets including other technologies such as Solar and Hydrogen.
As part of delivery of the Net Zero by 2040 Strategy ESB will generate 70% of our electricity generation from renewable assets by 2030. This will involve an increase to +5,000MW of renewable generation, offshore wind, onshore wind and solar. Also developing renewable enabling flexible generation assets including battery energy storage systems, flexible gas plant and grid support devices such as synchronous condensers.
The assets are monitored and controlled in real time from the Renewable Operations Centre (ROC) in ESB Head Office Fitzwilliam St. on a 24/7 basis. This control centre acts as a communications hub for the sites and activities surrounding them – e.g. Wind Turbine Safety Rules, Interface point for System Operator, Trading Coordination, Testing and Commissioning, Emergency Response and monitoring activities and personnel onsite or initiating site response as required. The ROC also plays a key role in supporting the management of both the technical and commercial performance of the assets.
The Operations Centre is currently staffed on a by a team of Operational Controllers on a 24/7 basis. There is a requirement for an additional team of Senior Operators, covering the hours of 7am to 11pm, 7 days a week.

The key responsibilities of this role will include but not limited to the following:
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- Act as Operational Controller as defined in ESB’s Wind Turbine Safety Rules. Training will be given to the successful candidate to obtain this accreditation.
- Release Wind Turbines to service technicians and others for maintenance and other routine activities.
- Manage calls, respond or escalate site incidents or emergencies and initiate site response as required.
- Monitor the health of generation or electrical assets and initiate corrective actions when faults occur by contacting regional site managers or service providers.
- Investigate and identify reasons for unexpected plant outages or any other events impacting on asset availability through the use of multiple control room SCADA or IT systems.
- Monitor equipment, perform first level diagnosis of equipment problems and report abnormal conditions for corrective action using the work management system. This system is also used to log work performed and track critical tasks.
- Validate, review and correct Onshore Wind contractual data entry and logs for plant availability automated calculation.
- Control access to the sites in line with the operational protocols or local management procedure. Supervise and audit the implementation of ESB policies for contractor access and ESB lone working procedures.
- Manage / monitor inductions using the online induction system and assist with any queries or difficulties that users may have.
- Monitor integrated weather forecasts and advise of approaching lightning, high wind, or other adverse weather conditions.
- Be familiar with emergency procedures and co-ordinate emergency response in the event of an incident at a site.
- Support development and / or review control room procedure documents.
- Prepare ad-hoc analysis of asset performance to support other operational or asset management activities (e.g. liquidated damages or incentive claims, business interruption insurance claims, plant condition assessment, etc.).
- For the relevant generation technology, execute and monitor start up, shut-down and operation of assets in accordance with relevant licenses, legislation, site procedures and best practice standards.
- Develop advanced operator knowledge of the plants and their operation to better support site management or remote plant troubleshooting for faster repair or return to service.
- Carry out Alarm management duties including reporting and analysis of alarms and co-ordination of escalation or testing as required.
- Co-ordinate Testing and Commissioning of assets between relevant stakeholder such as Site, Prompt Desk, OEMs and System Operator.
- Ensure all Plant Trips are managed as per procedure and subsequent interrogation, reporting and analysis is carried out and recorded.
- Notify Prompt Trading of any relevant Assets status including REMIT considerations.
- All of the Renewables Operations Centres assets availability, EDIL declarations and Contracted values are managed in line with ESB Trading requirements.
- Manage asset shutdown schedules for activities such as wind turbine noise monitoring.
- Effective Communication with stakeholders such as EirGrid, ESB Networks or ESB Trading,
- Occasional site audits.
- Carry out project work or ad hoc activities as directed.
- Maintain competencies as specified to meet role requirements.
- Cover Control Centre Team Leader role as required when mandated.