DeCosta named 2012 Outstanding Engineer

 

 

DeCosta to Receive Southeast Michigan IEEE Power and Energy Society Award

 

 

 

Commonwealth is delighted to announce that President Dennis F. DeCosta, P.E., will receive the 2012 Outstanding Engineer Award from the Southeastern Michigan chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power and Energy Society (IEEE-PES). The award will be presented on January 28, 2013 in Southfield, Michigan.

DeCosta has a long history of involvement in establishing new standards for the industry, including chairing a Substation Committee Working Group and authoring articles in industry publications. DeCosta was among the founders of Commonwealth when it began in 1988. He assumed the role of President in 2001. Under his leadership, the company has grown to 260 employees in six states: California, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington. “I enjoy what I do and sharing that passion with others,” said DeCosta, “I thank the chapter for their industry leadership and for this honor."

We are proud of Dennis' accomplishments and congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition.

For more information about the award, please visit: http://ieee-pes.org/chapters/resources/awards/power-and-energy-society-awards/outstanding-engineer-award

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Wishing You Joy

On Fire at IEEE in Orlando

We are pleased to announce the winners of our 2012 IEEE PES T&D ConferenceKindle Fire Giveaway in Orlando!  Seen below with Commonwealth's Vice President of Business Development, Linda Gray, are winners Bob Sier andRicardo Rodriquez.  Bob is an engineer in Substation Services with ATC.  Ricardo is an engineer with San Diego Gas & Electric.  Congratulations to both!

L-R: Bob Sier, Linda Gray

L-R: Ricardo Rodriquez, Linda Gray

Commonwealth's team is having a great time visiting with friends and making new ones, sharing the exciting new happenings at Commonwealth, and honing their expertise in the various technical sessions.  Among those in attendance is Steve Miller, seen below.  If you see Steve around Booth 955, you'll want to ask him how our newest transmission planning software releases in the Transmission Grid AnalyticsTM family -- namely Mapping and Cascade Analysis -- can help you plan smarter and easier.

Stephen S. Miller, P.E.

Designing power delivery when and where you need it

Wenatchee, Washington

DOUGLAS PUD PLANS NEW TRANSMISSION LINE

By Christine Pratt
World staff writer

Friday, February 10, 2012

EAST WENATCHEE — The Douglas County PUD will begin work this summer on a new 230 kilovolt transmission line needed to more reliably keep the lights on as the city grows.

PUD spokeswoman Meaghan Vibbert said the $13 million line will stretch 13 miles from the utility’s Douglas Switchyard near Rocky Reach Dam up and across Badger Mountain and down to its Rapids Switchyard in Rock Island. Work should be finished in the summer of 2013.

The line will follow an established “transmission corridor” that already includes high-voltage lines owned by the Bonneville Power Administration, the Chelan County PUD and Puget Sound Energy.

Despite the new line’s origin near Rocky Reach Dam, the Douglas Substation connects to and carries electricity generated at the Douglas PUD’s Wells Dam, near Pateros on the Columbia River, Vibbert said.

The new line is necessary to bolster East Wenatchee’s existing delivery system, which studies have shown is vulnerable to overloads in some neighborhoods under certain conditions — a problem expected to worsen as the city grows.

The new line will bring the system up to federal energy reliability standards and reduce the likelihood of stress-caused outages or drops in voltage, known as “brown outs,” which cause lights to dim, according to information provided by Vibbert.

Commonwealth Associates Inc. of Mount Vernon is designing the project, which will be built on single, steel poles. A construction contract will be advertised and awarded in the coming weeks.

The new line is considered a large project for the PUD. Vibbert said that its estimated $13 million price tag is larger than the typical annual capital budget for the utility’s electric distribution system.

Christine Pratt: 665-1173

pratt@wenatcheeworld.com

HTTP://WWW.WENATCHEEWORLD.COM/NEWS/2012/FEB/10/DOUGLAS-PUD-PLANS-NEW-TRANSMISSION-LINE/

That's Music to Our Ears

It's official...

Commonwealth is cool!

Citing our Boiler Room Band, among other things, we snagged the coveted title of "Rockin' Place to Work."

Sure, we knew we like it, but there's something far cooler about seeing it in writing.

You can access the article here.
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The Groundhog Has Spoken

You might not be aware that groundhog hairs are used for tying trout flies, such as the 'Chuck Caddis, or that early American Indians once used sturdy woodchuck hides for the soles of moccasins, but I bet you're aware that Phil saw his shadow again and it's six more weeks of winter!  That's why, about this time, you might want to consider a terrific Commonwealth job in our Atlanta office.  To find out what's available, click here.


Once you've done that, you might want to discover the other interesting facts about groundhogs you might not know:  http://www.news.cornell.edu/Chronicle/96/2.1.96/facts.html

Stay warm!
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MISO MVPs and Michigan: Bad policy or hidden opportunity?

In an October 21st posting, we addressed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) ruling on the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.'s (MISO) multi-value projects (MVPs) cost allocation scheme and the strong response to it in Michigan, a state in which it is being questioned whether or not the costs will actually be in line with the benefits received (see http://commonwealthassociates.blogspot.com/2011/10/federal-energy-regulatory-commission.html).

Stephen S. Miller, P.E.

Commonwealth's Stephen S. Miller, P.E., Section Manager for TRANSMISSION 2000®, will be offering an interesting take on the situation tomorrow, Friday, January 27th, as one of the featured speakers at the Michigan Forum on Economic Regulatory Policy put on by Michigan State University's Institute of Public Utilities at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing.  He will be taking a look at Michigan's unique geography, the connection with the regional Independent System Operator, potential resources, power supply challenges, electric reliability, international relations, and new technologies, particularly those associated with the automotive industry.

Miller has more than 33 years of experience in the analysis and planning of electric utility systems and the design and development of associated software programs, particularly the TRANSMISSION 2000® series of programs -- including Power Flow, Short Circuit, and Transient Stability -- designed to improve the analysis and planning of utility transmission systems.


A copy of his presentation will be posted here.

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On Location: Mount Vernon, Washington

This month, for those considering employment with Commonwealth, or simply wishing to learning more about us, we are featuring a series of posts showcasing our various office locations.  We are pleased to continue this week by introducing you to our Mount Vernon, Washington office in the rugged and majestic Pacific Northwest.  We trust you will find it, as we do, to be a wonderful place to live, work, and play.

"Spectacular!"  "Breathtaking!"  "Magnificent!" 

These are just a few of the words sure to come to mind when you visit our Mount Vernon location.

Nestled between the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound to the West and the Cascade Mountains with the scenic Cascade Loop drive to the East, Mount Vernon, Washington is the county seat of Skagit County. 

At just 60 miles from Seattle and 90 miles from Vancouver, it is an easy distance to virtually anything you might have in mind.  Skagit County features an abundance of action, adventure, relaxation, and culture, but you don't have to leave home to find recreation, entertainment, and family fun, because Mount Vernon has enjoyed a rating of #1 "Best Small City in America."

Historic Downtown Mount Vernon offers much in the way of boutique and antique shopping and fine dining, or you may wish to grab lunch at one of the great eateries and enjoy the day at Edgewater Park.  Perhaps you'd prefer to walk your dog along the miles of paved trails, take a whale-watching tour in the San Juans, kayak the Skagit River, or go eagle-watching in Concrete. 

In Mount Vernon, the sky's truly the limit.

Be surrounded by awe-inspiring scenery

Explore the limitless playground

Witness firsthand the majestic Bald Eagle in flight

Mount Vernon, a nature lover's paradise

Enjoy the gorgeous Tulip Festival



Tackle the slopes of Mt. Baker



Just a few of the highlights:

• Skagit County Tulip Festival
• ClearLake Triathlon
• Shakespeare Festival
• Anacortes Arts Festival
• Anacortes Jazz Festival
• Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival
• Skiing at Mount Baker

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On Location: Atlanta, Georgia

This month, for those considering employment with Commonwealth, or simply wishing to learn more about us, we will be featuring a series of posts showcasing our various office locations.  We are pleased to continue this series by introducing you to the great southern city of Atlanta, also affectionately known as "The Big Peach."  We trust you will find it, as we do, to be a wonderful place to live, work, and play.

 

Despite its humble beginnings as a settlement at the intersection of two railroad lines, Atlanta today is a major business city and the primary transportation hub of the entire Southeastern United States.  It contains the country's third largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies and is also home to the many cultural institutions and exhibits.  As Georgia's Capitol and largest city, Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlantic metropolitan area.

 

Trendy, gracious, vibrant, and energetic, Atlanta is the ultimate blend of Southern hospitality and multicultural influence, lending to its reputation as one of the nation's leading international cities.  Additionally, to the delight of environmentalists, it is unique among all major American cities for its lush tree canopy, earning it the nickname, "City in a Forest."

 

Whether you are an avid sports fan, a student of urban architecture, or an outdoor enthusiast lured by the balmy climate into one of Atlanta's spectacular city parks, you are sure to find plenty of activities to meet your cultural and recreational needs here.



Atlanta Stadium

 

Centennial Olympic Park



Atlanta Aquarium



Atlanta Zoo

 
Just a few of the highlights:

 ·         Atlanta Botanical Garden

 ·         Georgia Aquarium
 ·         Fox Theater
 ·         Braves Museum & Hall of Fame
 ·         Georgia Dome
 ·         Centennial Olympic Park
 ·         Atlanta Motor Speedway  


Don't forget to visit us on Facebook for more great photos and information! 

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Welcome!

Commonwealth President, Dennis F. DeCosta with SVP Stephen W. Arnold

This blog is a place to learn more casually about Commonwealth: what it's like to work here, what our people have to say, and what fun things we do.  I hope you will check back each month for new interest stories and updates.  Our main blog, "Connect with Confidence at Commonwealth," features more frequent postings and is another terrific source for learning more about Commonwealth Associates.  Please click here to view it now.

Have a great weekend!