Senior Engineer (Power Systems/Energy Engineering) Electricity Regulation at MECS (Pty) Ltd

• Reporting to the Head of the Department: Electricity Pricing and Tariffs: the incumbent will work closely with Financial Analysts, Economists, and other technical specialists within the Electricity Regulation Division.
• The incumbent will provide engineering and technical expertise to support the assessment of electricity tariff applications and price determinations.
• The incumbent will also analyse and interpret technical performance data, asset utilisation, network efficiency, and operational assumptions sub-mitted by electricity licensees, and ensure that these are properly aligned with financial and economic analyses.
• The role strengthens the technical integrity, cost-reflectivity, and defensibility of the company’s electricity pricing and tariff decisions in line with the Electricity Regulation Act.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree / B Tech Degree / Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering as recognized by SAQA
• Registration or eligibility for registration with ECSA will be an advantage
• A postgraduate qualification in power systems, energy engineering, or related field will be advantageous
• Minimum of Five (5) years’ experience in the electricity sector, preferably in: Power generation, transmission, or distribution; Utility operations or performance analysis and Regulatory or tariff-related technical assessments
• Experience interpreting technical performance data and linking it to cost and investment decisions 

The candidate must be competent in the following:

• Strong Technical and Analytical Skills
• Ability to interpret complex engineering data and communicate findings clearly
• Understanding of electricity system operations and infrastructure performance
• Strong report writing and presentation Skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams.

Key responsibilities: The successful incumbent will be responsible for:

Technical Assessment of Tariff Applications:

• Analyse engineering components of tariff submissions, including plant performance, network efficiency, losses, reliability indices, and capacity utilisation
• Evaluate the technical justification for operating and maintenance costs, capital expenditure, and asset replacement programmes
• Assess whether technical assumptions underpinning tariff applications are reasonable, efficient, and consistent with industry norms

Integration of Technical and Financial Analysis:

• Work closely with financial analysts to align technical performance data with cost drivers and revenue requirements
• Support the validation of assumptions used in revenue requirement and tariff models
• Identify inefficiencies or inconsistencies between technical performance and financial outcomes

Performance and Efficiency Analysis:

• Analyse technical performance indicators such as availability factors, losses, outages, maintenance practices, and network reliability
• Benchmark utility performance against national and international best practice
• Assess the prudence and efficiency of proposed capital and operating expenditure

Regulatory Support and Advisory:

• Provide technical input to tariff recommendations, regulatory submissions, and decision-making processes
• Support responses to stakeholder queries, objections, and appeals related to technical aspects of tariffs
• Assist in the development and review of tariff methodologies, standards, and regulatory guidelines  

Stakeholder and Inter-Departmental Engagement:

• Engage with licensees to clarify technical aspects of tariff submissions where required
• Collaborate with other departments (Licensing, Compliance, Market Surveillance, Legal)
• Support participation in hearings, workshops, and consultations on tariff-related matters.