Rockin' Roadside Results

Thanks to the determination of our volunteers despite the cold and rain, and the generosity of our community partners, our Rockin' Roadside Clean-up this past Saturday was a success.  Over 50 volunteers came out and removed truckloads of bags of garbage from along the roadside, making the community a much more attractive place.  You can read the newspaper coverage here.  The winner of the Michigan International Speedway tickets plus pit passes was Marilyn Deverell.  Marilyn, who has lived in Jackson for 30 years, never thought she'd win anything, so you can imagine how she felt when her name was drawn.  Congratulations to Marilyn!

Clean-up sponsors included:

Michigan International Speedway

Lowe's 

PNC Bank

Pizza Hut

Jimmy Johns

Panera

Qdoba

Bob Evans

Sercombe Trucking

Northwest Refuse

Libra Industries

Blackman Township

K105.3 WKHM

Just one truckload of debris volunteers removed during the Rockin' Roadside Cleanup on 4/28.

These tires were also cleaned up from along the road.

Despite the weather, this outstanding group worked hard and made a difference !

ELECTRIC POWER 2012 Registration Discount

Planning to register for ELECTRIC POWER 2012 May 15-17 in Baltimore, Maryland?  If so, Commonwealth's Vice President of Power Generation & Energy, Sam Barnes, would like to extend a special discount to you.  Simply click here and enter VIP code SBARNES to save $100 on your full conference registration.  Please feel free to share this information with your friends and colleagues.

Sam will be speaking at the conference on Wednesday, May 16th in Session 8B - Water and Wastewater Issues.

If you have any questions or need assistance registering, please contact the ELECTRIC POWER registration team at registration@tradefairgroup.com or (713) 343-1876.  Please be sure to provide them your VIP code so that you receive your discount.  

Rockin' Roadside Clean-Up Revs Up

Attention race fans!  How would you like to win 2 free tickets, plus pit passes, to a 2012 NASCAR race at the Michigan International Speedway?  Then, come on out this Saturday, April 28th from 9:30 to 11:30AM to Commonwealth's Rockin' Roadside Clean-Up of Boardman Road in Jackson, Michigan where someone will win!  Not into racing?  How about boating?  Jackson's Hit Music, 105.3 WKHM, will be broadcasting LIVE and volunteers will also have the opportunity to register to win a one year lease of a pontoon boat.

Commonwealth Soars in Top 500 Ranking

What an exciting way to end the week!

Influential industry authority, Engineering News-Record, has released its highly-respected 2012 Top 500 Design Firms list and Commonwealth has secured a coveted spot again this year, as determined by annual revenue.  Even more exciting is that we've moved up 61 spots from last year's ranking!

Commonwealth President, Dennis F. DeCosta released the following statement today:

Power projects -- who benefits, who pays?

Yesterday, an article came out suggesting that Wisconsin ratepayers are upset with potentially paying for a power line project which, if authorized by the Midwest system operator, they assert will benefit Michigan and which came about in response to a blackout which took place last year in Michigan's Upper Peninsula (U.P.).

"It appears that customers in Wisconsin may be paying for the project, and most of the benefits go to the U.P., to customers in another state," said Charlie Higley, executive director of the Citizens' Utility Board.

Recently, we posted about Commonwealth's Steve Miller presenting a paper on the potential for MISO multi-value projects to provide a benefit to Michigan 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.  Given its relation to the conversation taking place in Wisconsin, we present the paper again here.

Easter Break and New Videos Released

Welcome back!  Hope your Easter break was enjoyable.  Can you believe the temperatures we've been having recently?  Of course, some have experienced more Midwestern storms wrecking havoc.  Our thoughts are certainly with those impacted.

Around Commonwealth, things have been exciting!  We've brought in a number of talented new folks to join the expanding team, are overhauling our website, and have created a series of videos to help tell the great story that is Commonwealth.

Here's a first look at Connect With Confidence:

If you are an engineer searching for that next job, or know someone who is, you'll want to watch this sneak peek of Working at Commonwealth:

You can view all of our new videos on our YouTube channel here.

Another busy week around the office

Not only are we busy with a number of exciting new projects this week, but our staff members are also busy demonstrating passion and leadership in other ways.  Some examples --

Bruce Powell

Bruce C. Powell, P.E., with Commonwealth in Roanoke, has been elected as a Member-at-Large of the Virginia Mountain Section of IEEE.  Bruce is a proud military father whose son has courageously been serving our country in the Middle East.  In addition to his degree from Old Dominion, Bruce also graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VA Tech), where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets.  He has over 30 years of experience in the design of protection and control and relay settings for high-voltage electric facilities.  

A Senior Member of IEEE, and Power Society Member for over 36 years, Bruce has served as Chairman of the Richmond Section and Vice-Chairman of the Worchester Section.  Bruce also chaired the ABET Advisory Council for Virginia State University's Engineering Department for 12 years and served on the Advisory Council for Virginia Commonwealth University for 3 years.

Ian Hutt

Electrical engineer, Ian Hutt, is speaking at Central Michigan University today as part of their Engineering & Technology Alumni Career Day.  A 2007 grad, Ian is joined here at Commonwealth by fellow CMU alum Chris Nelson, and Commonwealth intern, Nick Prawdzik, who will be joining us after graduation.  The founder of the college's IEEE Student Chapter, Ian was the first electrical engineer to come out of CMU's program.  

Ian and Mrs. Hutt recently welcomed a son, William.

2011-2012 men's ice hockey team 

Commonwealth's men's ice hockey team wrapped up another exciting season with Game 27 this week.  Word is they didn't shatter their previous 16-10-1 record, but they are ready to come back strong and give it another go next season.  This season's roster included: Brandon Flager (goalie), Dan Agnello, Ryan Agnello, Mike Sokoll, Brian Schultz, Ken Wynychuk, Steve Arnold, Keith Schultz, Brian Wynychuk, Matt Halmekangas, Scott Czarnik, Brandon Houchin, Scott Marlett, and Andrew Bertke.  

-----

Michigan Tornado Recovery

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by yesterday's tornadoes in Michigan.  We ask that you consider supporting the efforts of the American Red Cross as they work to help those in need.

http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.1a019a978f421296e81ec89e43181aa0/?vgnextoid=1fdc1d95e7b16310VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD

-----

Going to Princeton

The Princeton Conference is the longest running annual appraisal conference in the country.  Every year since 1936, the Metro New Jersey Chapter of the Appraisal Institute has invited leaders in the real estate industry to offer their insight on the past, present, and future of real estate.  Commonwealth’s Land Acquisition Manager, Tim R. Davis, SR/WA, will be a panelist at the 76^th Princeton Conference on April 26^th to talk about the unique challenges facing utilities as they address acquisition needs to meet future demand.  The conference brochure can be found here.

The Appraisal Institute is a global membership association of professional real estate appraisers, with nearly 24,000 members and 91 chapters throughout the world. Organized in 1932, its mission is to support and advance its members as the choice for real estate solutions and uphold professional credentials, standards of professional practice and ethics consistent with the public good. The Appraisal Institute advocates equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in the appraisal profession and conducts its activities in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Members of the Appraisal Institute benefit from an array of professional education and advocacy programs, and may hold the prestigious MAI, SRPA and SRA designations.

-----

Twister lessons



The game "Twister" vividly demonstrates how intertwined people and lives can become.  If you've ever played it, you know just how hard it is to make a move without touching or impacting others.  So, too, when real life deals us a tragedy, such as the devastation resulting from the twisters in the US Midwest and South.  We cannot remain unaffected, regardless of location or personal involvement.  That's why we, at Commonwealth, stand united with all of those in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina who have experienced loss and are hurting.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families at this time and as they begin the courageous task of rebuilding their homes, their communities, and their lives.

-----

We're Golden!

First, there was the Midwest heartland....

Next, it was the rugged Pacific Northwest....

Then, came the gracious and storied South, followed by the historic Mid-Atlantic, so the sunny Southwest couldn't be far behind!

Accordingly, Commonwealth is pleased to report that our newest office has opened in the "Golden State"!

We're thrilled to be in Oakland, California and, while it's not quite finished, we wanted to give you a sneak peak into our new digs.

From L-R: Rich Collins, Joe Fore, Ann Watson,
Judy Dinglasan, Steve Miller , and John White.

L-R: Ann Watson, Kathy Klaus, and Judy Dinglasan.

L-R: Joe Fore, Jeanette Dodge, and Ann Watson.

This is just the latest in the continuing story of Commonwealth's exciting growth and commitment to be best positioned to meet the expanding needs of our clients today and in the future.

Stay tuned to find out what's next!

(Thanks to Diane Wilkie, Commonwealth's Manager of Document Management, for the photos.)

-----

New faces, new places

You may have noticed that Commonwealth is growing...

• Our Atlanta office has doubled;
• We've opened an office in California;
• Our Power Generation services have expanded; and
• We have hired additional top-notch talent to meet your projects' needs.

In an earlier post, we introduced you to Sam Barnes, our new VP of Power Generation.  Another new face we'd like you to meet, if you haven't already, is Everette Chartier, P.E.  


Chartier, an industry veteran primarily working with clients in the Western U.S., brings 40-plus years of experience with engineering, construction, project management, contract negotiations, planning, and operations related to substation, transmission, distribution, underground, communications, automatic controls, and power plant projects, including air quality control.  


Mr. Charter received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from New Mexico State University and his M.B.A. in Management from Arizona State University.  He is a Professional Engineer registered in Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, and Texas.  Everette can be reached at eechartier@cai-engr.com or by telephone at 303-378-2461.


With our continuing growth, we trust that you will find our commitment to quality work and outstanding service as strong as, if not stronger than, ever.  That's because Connect with Confidence is not just a slogan -- it's our unwavering promise to you.


-----

A Rockin' Place to Work

You might have heard that we recently were rated among the best and coolest places to work.  Now, you can read the feature article as it appeared in Jackson Magazine! Simply click HERE.

-----

WE'RE HIRING!

NEW! 

Power Generation & Energy Group Job Listings

Lead Mechanical Engineer

Department: Power Generation & Energy
Location: Jackson, MI
Reports to: Department Manager


Responsible for:
- Guiding junior-level engineers and designers in mechanical engineering design and engineering study efforts. 
- Working on challenging assignments that include investigating, trouble-shooting, and solving mechanical engineering issues involving boilers, balance of plant equipment, air pollution control equipment, steam turbines, gas turbines and water treatment systems. 
- Routine work, to include: developing integrated systems designs and performing supporting calculations; preparing technical specifications for mechanical engineering equipment; preparing engineering studies; performing independent reviews of work performed by others, including calculations and drawing preparation; coordinating and providing guidance to other engineers, project managers, client personnel, and suppliers to ensure a complete and timely design; performing reviews of existing facilities to propose upgrades and replacements and presenting findings and recommendations to clients and peers; and mentoring less-experienced engineers. 
- Potential project management of smaller projects. 

Requirements:
- 10 or more years of experience in the design of mechanical engineering systems for non-commercial heavy-industrial plants (power or chemical), with a focus on integrated, detailed system design for new plants, modifications, or replacements. Past experience should include selection of equipment, piping materials, and control philosophy, as well as preparation of performance sizing calculations and specifications. Sound working knowledge of heat balances or piping design is a plus. 
- Candidates must hold a BSME or MSME degree from an ABET-accredited university; be able to coordinate their work with others; have good leadership, communication, analytical and organizational skills; and have experience in serving as firm/client liaison in a support or lead engineering role. 


Construction, commissioning, and start-up experience is a plus.


----------


Instrumentation & Controls Engineer 
Department: Power Generation & Energy
Location: Jackson, MI
Reports to: Department Manager


This position offers you a great opportunity to be a part of an I&C engineering and design team engaged in design of distributed control systems, modifications to new and existing power generation facilities, and plant controls betterment projects. The ideal candidate will have experience with instrumentation and final control elements, distributed control systems, and programmable logic controllers as applied to power plant systems. Experience with logic diagrams, instrumentation installation details, piping and instrument diagrams, motor control schematics, specifications, studies, and cost estimating is desired. 


Requirements:
- 10+ years of applicable experience
- BS or MS degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited university
- Registration as a professional engineer. 
- Must have good communication, analytical, organizational and computer skills and be able to coordinate your work with others. 


We are looking for a person who has leadership skills, pays attention to accuracy, is detail oriented, can be responsible for self-directed learning, consistently meets deadlines, is able to work on several projects at a time, and can deliver both large and small projects.

-----

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/