Power Network Operability Lead - UAEN

About EWEC EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company) is the sole procurer and supplier of water and electricity in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. EWEC drives the planning, forecasting, purchasing, and system despatch services of water and electricity. EWEC fulfils these vital responsibilities through the short-term and long-term balancing of bulk supply and demand for distribution companies and authorities in Abu Dhabi and other Emirates. EWEC is supporting the government of Abu Dhabi and the government of the UAE by enabling the reduction of cost whilst also providing the increased security of supply that comes from a cleaner, larger, and more integrated system. EWEC is mandated to implement strategic initiatives that will achieve the 60 per cent clean energy target outlined in the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy's (DoE) Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035 for Electricity Production in Abu Dhabi, in addition to enabling the achievement of UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, UAE Energy Strategy by 2050, and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative. EWEC is accelerating Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s energy transition by diversifying the country’s energy mix through developing and deploying renewable and clean energy as well as low-carbon intensive water desalination capacities. EWEC is part of ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi’s diversified economy. For more information, please visit www.ewec.ae. The Power Network Operability Lead manages power system operability planning within the Operations directorate, with a primary focus on the 1-3-year horizon and advisory input beyond three years. The role defines and maintains future operability envelopes (thermal, voltage, fault level, stability and reserve limits), leads the annual multi-year operability assessment, and develops and updates restoration and black-start plans. The Lead ensures that demand growth, new capacity and decarbonization initiatives remain operable, provides clear recommendations to Power Planning & Studies, Outage Management and Integrated Planning, and collaborates closely with internal and external stakeholders to support system reliability and EWEC’s energy transition objectives. Job Specific Responsibilities: Lead the development and delivery of the annual multi-year Operability Assessment report in line with DoE and internal requirements, providing assurance on power system operability over the next three years. Define and maintain 1-3-year operability envelopes and system limits for thermal loading, voltage profiles, fault levels, stability and reserves, and provide advisory input on longer-term (>3 year) operability risks to Integrated Planning. Oversee the development and annual update of system restoration and black-start plans, ensuring they reflect the evolving generation mix, network configuration and decarbonization roadmap. Direct operability studies and simulations to assess the impact of new projects, demand growth, connection changes and system interventions on grid stability, dynamic performance and resilience. Provide structured operability input to Power Planning & Studies so that year-ahead, seasonal and month-ahead studies reflect future envelopes and constraints. Provide operability requirements and constraints to Outage Management for the design of multi-year outage windows and allowable outage combinations, while recognizing that Outage Management owns the integrated schedule of record and operational change control. Provide operability input to Integrated Planning and Business Cases, including constraints, ancillary-service needs and system risk considerations for future capacity and portfolio options. Oversee the development of ancillary service needs from an operability perspective (e.g., inertia, reserves, voltage support) and coordinate their incorporation into planning and operational strategies. Ensure operability planning activities comply with all relevant policies, codes and regulatory standards, with particular attention to new integrations and system modifications that support decarbonization. Manage the documentation and reporting of operability studies, envelopes, restoration plans and recommendations, ensuring comprehensive records that support internal governance and external audits. Collaborate with Power and Water Network Operations to ensure operability insights and constraints are embedded in broader operational processes and procedures. Work closely with Transco, generation owners and other users to validate operability assumptions, restoration strategies and multi-year windows, and to align practices with industry standards and best practice. Mentor and develop the power operability team, strengthening skills in advanced simulation, resilience analysis and the integration of renewable and low-carbon technologies. Promote a culture of data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement within the operability team, making consistent use of advanced analytics and digital tools. Manage relationships with key external stakeholders, including regulatory authorities, system operators and industry partners, to ensure alignment of operability planning with national objectives and market developments. Communicate operability strategies, key risks, envelopes and assessment outcomes clearly to senior management and internal stakeholders, supporting transparent and informed decision-making. Standard Responsibilities: Implement all relevant section policies, processes, and procedures so that work is carried out in a controlled and consistent manner Execute the continuous improvement of systems, processes and practices taking into account ‘international leading practice’ and changes in business environment and leveraging insights. This includes supporting the related change management efforts Ensure adherence to all health, safety, security and environment (HSSE) policies and requirements Contribute to the preparation of timely and accurate reports to meet the section requirements, policies and standards Adhere to EWEC values (including sustainability, integrity, collaboration and innovation) Upgrade technical skills and knowledge on an ongoing basis Experience Level: Minimum of 12 years of experience in operational planning, with a focus on Hydrology and Electrical Engineering, of which 4-6 years holding a managerial position, preferably in a: Diverse/multi-cultural business industry (obtained from medium to large organisation) Multi-national company Energy and utility sector Show more Show less