Manuel Goncalves
Cape Town
Summary
Accomplished professional with a robust skill set in effective and confident communication, interview skills, and presentation skills. Demonstrates exceptional time management, change management, and team working abilities. Proficient in project management, stakeholder management, fault analysis, and transmission network scoping and analysis. Expertise in alarm and fault management, effective decision making, adaptability and flexibility. Strong leadership qualities with a focus on planning and organising, as well as negotiation skills. Committed to leveraging these competencies to drive organisational success and achieve career growth.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
2018
2018
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Operations Manager
National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO)
01.2023 - 04.2025
- Accountable for a Team of Professional Engineers for Overseeing the Management of Securing the GB Electricity Transmission System using numerous ways to run the system in the most efficient way
- Leading Members of the Team in Individual Performance Management actively encouraging and guiding individuals to perform at their best to achieve their targets
- Attendance of Management Meetings to problem solve constraints in the workplace
- Operational scoping for outage release i.e determining optimal running arrangements, requirement for operational I/T selection to manage tight constraint conditions
- Continual monitoring of online study tools in real time analysis
- Responsible for monitoring & reporting security issues
- Security Excursion, Significant Incident and Event Reporting
- Monitor PNA and manage constraints in real time in association with other Operational Managers and instruct actions to optimise network
- Performance Management of Employees
Senior Power System Transmission Security Engineer
National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO)
01.2023 - 04.2025
- Responsible in actively managing the Transmission System, scoping potential planned work and sanctioning outages based on detailed System Analysis within Security Standards (SQSS) in co-ordination with Transmission Network Operators across England & Wales
- Fault Level & System Constraint Analysis
- Operational scoping for outage release i.e determining optimal running arrangements, requirement for operational I/T selection to manage tight constraint conditions
- Use Offline Analysis for security study assessment in real time on a routine basis
- Continual monitoring of online study tools in real time analysis
- Responsible for monitoring & reporting security issues
- Voltage Management
- Monitor PNA and manage constraints in real time in association with energy team and instruct actions to optimise network
- Specify QB tapping, management of I/T schemes etc
- Responsible for instructing any consequent post fault actions and re-securing the network for the next contingency
- Monitor & report protection and control failures as well as decide on safety risk through depletion of protection & implement appropriate action
Senior Transmission Project Team Specialist
National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO)
01.2018 - 01.2020
- Appointed to the National Grid Project Team as subject matter expert to assess current working processes and identify Cost Savings across all areas in the Control Room by reducing process wastage and introducing new more efficient ways of working
- To provide Expertise from an Operational perspective for Current and New Innovative projects introduced into the Control Room
- Most Notable Projects involved in Developing: Distributed Energy Resource Management Project (DERMS & Active Network Management Schemes) - An innovative concept to explore the use of Embedded Generation exporting on the Distribution Network to manage the constraints on the Transmission Network
- Power Potential Project (Mvar Effectiveness from Downstream Networks) - Project developed to assess how the Mvars produced from the DNO Networks can be reduced by the System Operator to help manage Voltage Issues on the Transmission Network
- Interconnector Projects: Appointed Transmission Lead as an additional Role to my Control Room Authorisations as the subject matter expert for the following Interconnectors to the UK: NEMO - 1000MW Interconnector to Belgium (ELIA), ELEKLINK - 1000 MW Interconnector to France (RTE), IFA2 - 1000 MW Interconnector (RTE), BRITNED - 1000 MW Interconnector to Netherlands (TenneT)
Transmission Security & Transmission Analysis Engineer
National Grid (PLC)
01.2014 - 01.2018
- A Dual Authorisation in the Electricity National Control Room carried out independently of each other on a rotational basis
- Transmission Security Engineer: Real Time Desk management of outages and fault management on the Transmission System
- Transmission Analysis Engineer: Fault Level & System Constraint Analysis to identify possible Stability, Thermal or Voltage advising and providing solutions to manage these issues within the boundaries of SQSS, ahead of Real Time
- Produce and release an Optimal Study based on the outage plan ahead of Real Time analysing System conditions to accommodate the outage pattern in order to secure the Transmission Network in Real Time
- Use of Study Tools for security study assessment ahead of real time
- Responsible for monitoring & reporting security issues
- Specify QB tapping, management of I/T schemes etc
- Responsible for analysing Specific System Faults and providing post fault actions to re-securing the network for the next contingency
- Analysing Constraint Limits and Constraints in line with the Planned England & Wales Picasso
Transmission Despatch Engineer
National Grid
01.2010 - 01.2014
- Responsible in actively assisting managing the Transmission Desk in the Control Room scoping potential planned work and releasing outages based on detailed Fault Level Analysis within Security Standards in co-ordination with 3rd Party Stakeholders and Directly affected customers while actively managing System Volts across England & Wales
- Training & Full Authorisation in the Concepts of Voltage Control & Generation Mvar Despatch on the United Kingdom Power Grid
- Planning & Co-ordination with In-House & 3rd Party Consumers (Generators, Distribution Network Operators, Network Rail, National Grid Asset Management & Network Operations Centre and Inter Control Room Power Systems Engineers) to actively manage the Balancing and Security of the Transmission Network of the Power Grid
- Safe Switching of Live Electrical Switchgear and Circuits on the 400kv, 275 & 132 KV Network on Protection, Super Grid Transformers, Static Var Compensators, Capacitors & Reactors, SF6 Switchgear, Quad Boosters, Cable & Overhead Line Circuits with the Safe Handling of Trapped Charge & Ferroresonant Conditions on the System
- Fault Level & System Constraint Analysis in conjunction with Transmission Analysis Engineer
- Outage Scoping, Commissioning, Training & Supervising of Newly Appointed Control Engineers & assisting in managing workload on the Transmission Desk
Senior Project Design Engineer
Connect Utilities Ltd, Inexus Group Holdings
Cardiff
01.2007 - 01.2010
- Effectively Designing Large HV & LV Electrical Reticulation Projects from Inception to completion with constant liaising with Developers, Distribution Network Operators and Project Managers as well as providing support to Junior Designers in overseeing and approving designs
- Costing for HV & LV Electrical Infrastructure for large scale housing developments
- HV & LV (up to 11 kV) Reticulation design for new connection projects
- Working knowledge of Electrical Design Regulations
- Constant interaction with Designers & Engineers of Upstream Network Operators
- Customer focus for exchange of projects information to carry out robust network design solutions at a competitive level
- Support and Training Junior Engineers
- Achievements: Cost, Design & Implement of Low Voltage & High Voltage Infrastructure for Dowds Farm Housing Development, Former RAF Quedgeley Housing & Commercial Build Estate & Stoke Mandeville Hospital Phase 1 & 2 to Budget, Scope and on Time
Chief Engineering Assistant
Centlec
Free State
01.2007 - 12.2007
- A Senior Role appointed to Estimate, Design and Manage Projects form Streetlight Reticulation, Low Voltage Housing & Commercial Connections, 11kV to 132Kv O/H Line and Underground Cable Design for Network Strengthening to Substation Design and Build
- PLANNING (Short & Medium Term Planning): Reticulation (Streetlights & Network Installation & Upgrades/Strengthening) projects for the city of Bloemfontein
- Consult, Cost & Advise Consumers of electrical supply Options to the Household & Commercial consumers of the City and surrounding areas
- Carry out the necessary planning within the Connection Services Policy to supply consumers with the most cost efficient optimised point of electrical Supply without compromising the security of the existing Network
- Achievements: Appointed Chief Engineering assistant to the Short Term Planning Department, Appointment as Head Project Co-ordinator in Connection with Stewart Scott International for upgrading of Electrical Infrastructure (11KV - 132KV) of Botshabelo Township, Free State, South Africa, Rewarded Future Leader Accolade and received Company Sponsorship to pursue Bachelors Degree in Management Leadership
Education
Certificate - Introduction to Power Systems
Strathclyde University
Bachelor's Degree - Management Leadership
University of the Free State
01.2005 - 01.2007
Bachelors Degree - Electrical Engineering (Heavy Current)
Technical University of the Free State
01.1997 - 01.2002
Skills
- Effective & Confident Communication
- Interview Skills
- Presentation Skills
- Time Management
- Change Management
- Team Working
- Project Management
- Stakeholder Management
- Fault Analysis
- Transmission Network Scoping and Analysis
- Alarm & Fault Management
- Effective Decision Making
- Adaptability & Flexibility
- Leadership
- Planning & Organising
- Negotiation
Affiliations
- Registered as an Incorporated Engineer with the Institution of Engineering & Technology, United Kingdom.
- Professional Technologist with Electrical Council of Southern Africa
Languages
English
Portuguese (Basic)
Afrikaans
Custom
- Management/Leadership Training
- Interview Skills
- Transmission Analysis Engineer
- Transmission Security Analysis with aid of Following Tools: National Grid Online Transmission Analysis (OLTA)(DigiSilent), Power Network Analyser (PNA), Online Stability Analyser (OSA)
- Power Systems Transmission Despatch Engineer National Grid
- Basic Competency Certificate in DigiSilent Powerfactory
Personal Information
Citizenship: South African
Timeline
Operations Manager
National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO)
01.2023 - 04.2025
Senior Power System Transmission Security Engineer
National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO)
01.2023 - 04.2025
Senior Transmission Project Team Specialist
National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO)
01.2018 - 01.2020
Transmission Security & Transmission Analysis Engineer
National Grid (PLC)
01.2014 - 01.2018
Transmission Despatch Engineer
National Grid
01.2010 - 01.2014
Senior Project Design Engineer
Connect Utilities Ltd, Inexus Group Holdings
01.2007 - 01.2010
Chief Engineering Assistant
Centlec
01.2007 - 12.2007
Bachelor's Degree - Management Leadership
University of the Free State
01.2005 - 01.2007
Bachelors Degree - Electrical Engineering (Heavy Current)
Technical University of the Free State
01.1997 - 01.2002
Certificate - Introduction to Power Systems
Strathclyde University
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