Website:
Job details:
Job Title:
Design Engineer – MV to EHV Substations (Renewable Evacuation Projects)
(33 kV to 400 kV | Solar & Wind)
Role Type:
Design Consultant / Owner’s Engineer / Independent Engineer
Reporting To:
Lead Electrical Engineer / Engineering Manager – Substations
Job Summary:
The Design Engineer will be responsible for planning, design review, validation, and optimization of renewable energy evacuation substations (solar and wind) ranging from 33 kV to 400 kV. The role involves acting as a technical authority on behalf of the developer/lender, ensuring that EPC and OEM designs comply with applicable standards, grid codes, utility requirements, and best engineering practices.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Substation Planning & Concept Engineering
- Develop and review conceptual and basic engineering for solar/wind evacuation substations:
- Pooling substations
- Switching stations
- Step-up substations at solar/wind plants
- Prepare and review:
- Single Line Diagrams (SLD)
- Bus schemes (single, double, breaker-and-a-half, ring bus)
- Substation sizing and bay philosophy
- Optimize layouts considering:
- Renewable plant expansion
- Future bays
- Grid reliability and availability
2. Detailed Engineering Review & Approval
- Review EPC/OEM submissions including:
- General Arrangement (GA) drawings (plan & sections)
- Equipment layouts and clearances
- Earthing and lightning protection layouts
- Cable routing, trenches, and duct banks
- Ensure constructability, safety clearances, maintainability, and operability.
3. Electrical Studies & Design Validation
- Perform or validate:
- Short-circuit studies
- Load flow and voltage regulation studies
- Insulation coordination
- Earthing system design as per IEEE-80 / IEC 61936
- Touch and step potential calculations
- Review evacuation system adequacy for:
- High inverter-based generation
- Weak grid conditions
- Reactive power and voltage control requirements
4. Grid Code & Utility Compliance
- Ensure compliance with:
- CEA Regulations
- State Transmission Utility / CTU requirements
- Grid Codes applicable to solar & wind plants
- IEC / IEEE / IS / CBIP standards
- Review compliance matrices and deviation statements submitted by EPC.
5. Equipment Specification & Technical Evaluation
- Prepare/review technical specifications, GTPs, and datasheets for:
- Power transformers (including OLTC & vector group suitability)
- Circuit breakers (AIS/GIS)
- Isolators with earthing switches
- CTs, PTs/CVTs
- Surge arresters
- Busbars and insulators
- Participate in technical bid evaluations (TBE) and vendor shortlisting.
6. Protection, Control & SCADA Interfaces
- Review protection philosophy for renewable evacuation:
- Line, transformer, busbar protection
- Grid disturbance and fault ride-through requirements
- Coordinate interfaces with:
- Protection & Control
- SCADA / RTU / Communication systems
- Renewable plant controllers (PPC, EMS)
7. Interface & Coordination Role
- Act as a technical interface between:
- Developer / Client
- EPC contractor
- Utility / Transmission licensee
- Conduct design review meetings and resolve technical queries.
8. Site Engineering & Commissioning Support
- Provide engineering support during:
- Construction and erection
- Pre-commissioning and commissioning
- Participate in:
- Site inspections
- FAT/SAT reviews
- Punch-point closure
- Review as-built drawings and final documentation.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering (mandatory)
- 6–15 years of experience in HV/EHV substation design
- Proven experience in:
- Solar and wind evacuation substations
- Pooling substations and grid interconnection projects
- Experience as design consultant / owner’s engineer preferred
Technical Skills:
- Strong expertise in:
- AIS & GIS substations up to 400 kV
- Earthing & lightning protection systems
- Substation layout engineering
- Proficient in:
- AutoCAD / MicroStation
- ETAP / PSCAD / CYME (preferred)
- Good understanding of inverter-based generation impacts on grid.
Soft Skills:
- Strong technical judgment and independent decision-making ability
- Clear communication with clients, utilities, and EPCs
- Ability to review and challenge EPC designs professionally
- Good report writing and documentation skills
Added Advantage:
- Experience with:
- ISTS / STU renewable evacuation schemes
- Hybrid (solar + wind + BESS) projects
- Exposure to international standards and lender requirements
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