Charles Stevens
Nuclear and Solar Energy Expert Witness
Charles Stevens
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Charles recently retired from Kiewit and is currently the President of New Millennium Consulting. During his career with First Solar and Kiewit he has over 13 years of Engineering and Management experience in Solar Performance Engineering. During his career Charles held Technical Leadership positions responsible for Solar power plant design associated with Energy Predictions and optimization techniques as well as Commissioning and Testing Utility Scale Solar Power Plants. He brings significant knowledge in Solar power plant design and operations including SCADA systems, inverter technology and tracker systems, battery storage systems, and solar panel strengths and challenges.
Charles has a strong background in developing, negotiating and implementing Solar EPC Commissioning and Testing contractual agreements as well as Performance Guarantees and Liquidated Damages. He also has done the same for Renewable Energy Purchase Power Agreements (PPA) and O&M agreements.
During his recent time with Kiewit, Charles did Nuclear Licensing consulting work on the Small Modular Reactor design for Kiewit clients.
Charles spent 21 years of experience working in the utility Power Plant Generation area starting out as a Reactor Physics Engineer and working his way up to the Manager of the Nuclear Engineering group at the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant, responsible for Probabilistic Risk Assessment, Reactor Physics and Safety Analysis as well as reload design. He was trained and licensed by the NRC to perform reload safety analysis.
Charles has 10 years of experience as the Executive Project Manager for implementation of complex IT systems in Transmission, Distribution and Marketing & Trading Floors for Arizona Public Service.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
2020 – 2024
Kiewit - Performance Engineering Manager
2011 – 2020
First Solar - Performance Engineering Sr Contract Manager
2000 – 2011
Arizona Public Services (APS) - Project Executive IT Experience
Trading Floor – Projects ranged from $5-10M and 8-20 employees:
Managed the development of a Real Time Gas system for the APS Trading floor which included Generation Plant modifications to install new digital meter tubes, gas chromatographs/computers, pressure, temperature sensors, etc. Installed DMZ/PI systems to capture plant data used for real time Heat Rate trending and Gas burn information. Managed the development of a Power Trading Unit Commitment System including Disaster Recovery system for the APS Trading floor.
Distribution Operations – Projects ranged from $30-40M and 20-60 employees.
Distribution Operations Management System (DOMS) APS Distribution Operations SCADA and Trouble Call System which included Policies, Procedures, Operational Logs, reporting, real time outage identification and switching, to ensure accurate reporting and rapid resolution of outages. This role included, Mobile Trouble Call System Project and GIS Viewing tool and implemented a Statewide GIS Project and Integration Plan.
Generation –- Project cost was $25-45M and 200+ employees
Managed the redesign of the PVNGS to allow operation of the plants following a Steam Generator Tube Rupture event and subsequent shut down of the plants by the NRC.
Managed the design and installation of the APS infrastructure work for the Redhawk power plant during construction and through plant implementation.
1980 – 2000
Arizona Public Services (APS) - Nuclear Engineering Experience
Manager Nuclear Fuels/Engineering Design Manager/PRA Supervisor at PVNGS –
Nuclear Fuels Engineering Manager responsible for a department of 45 with a budget in excess of $30M/yr. Managed the design, safety analysis and subsequent licensing with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of the reactor core for all reloads. Managed the optimization of reload fuel designs to minimize the annual $100M spent in nuclear fuel Uranium, Conversion, Enrichment and Fuel Fabrication Costs.
Engineering Design Manager responsible for a department of 35 with a budget of $25M/year. Responsible for mechanical design engineering group, Equipment Qualification program, PRA program and Reliability Centered Maintenance program for PVNGS. Implemented the Failure Data Trending program, developed the ability to perform Equipment Qualification on site.
PRA Supervisor responsible for group of 10 with a budget of $1 M/year. Responsible for establishing the PRA group which is still in place today at PVNGS. Responsible for the Independent Plant Examination (IPE) submittal to the NRC and subsequent plant modification work to comply with the IPE requirements.
LICENSES/REGISTRATIONS
Professional Engineer,
Nuclear Engineering – AZ
OTHER SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE/TRAINING
PMP Certified in Project Management
EDUCATION
MSE, Computer Science in Engineering,
Arizona State University,
Tempe, AZ
BSE, Nuclear Engineering,
Arizona State University,
Tempe, AZ
Charles recently retired from Kiewit and is currently the President of New Millennium Consulting. During his career with First Solar and Kiewit he has over 13 years of Engineering and Management experience in Solar Performance Engineering. During his career Charles held Technical Leadership positions responsible for Solar power plant design associated with Energy Predictions and optimization techniques as well as Commissioning and Testing Utility Scale Solar Power Plants. He brings significant knowledge in Solar power plant design and operations including SCADA systems, inverter technology and tracker systems, battery storage systems, and solar panel strengths and challenges.
Charles has a strong background in developing, negotiating and implementing Solar EPC Commissioning and Testing contractual agreements as well as Performance Guarantees and Liquidated Damages. He also has done the same for Renewable Energy Purchase Power Agreements (PPA) and O&M agreements.
During his recent time with Kiewit, Charles did Nuclear Licensing consulting work on the Small Modular Reactor design for Kiewit clients.
Charles spent 21 years of experience working in the utility Power Plant Generation area starting out as a Reactor Physics Engineer and working his way up to the Manager of the Nuclear Engineering group at the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant, responsible for Probabilistic Risk Assessment, Reactor Physics and Safety Analysis as well as reload design. He was trained and licensed by the NRC to perform reload safety analysis.
Charles has 10 years of experience as the Executive Project Manager for implementation of complex IT systems in Transmission, Distribution and Marketing & Trading Floors for Arizona Public Service.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
2020 – 2024
Kiewit - Performance Engineering Manager
- Responsible for supporting the Kiewit Estimating team for responding to Solar RFP’s as it relates to Performance Engineering. This includes managing engineers associated with the development of energy predictions and optimizations using PVSYST/Plant Predict for renewable projects for PV and Storage. He was also responsible for assessing and advising Executive Management on Performance Testing risk as well as development/negotiation of EPC Commissioning and Testing Contract Exhibits and associated Performance Guarantees. He was responsible for Performance Engineering testing of all Kiewit Solar projects including Circuit Functional and Plant Availability Testing, Plant Capacity testing (PPI/ASTM 2848) needed to achieve Substantial Completion as well as Long Term Performance Energy/PR Testing. He provides Engineering Consulting services as needed, associated with Energy Predictions and Solar Power Plant Commissioning and Testing and Nuclear Licensing and Safety Analysis.
2011 – 2020
First Solar - Performance Engineering Sr Contract Manager
- Managed development of Contract Exhibits for First Solar EPC Commissioning and Testing and associated Performance Guarantees as well as O&M Availability Contract agreements. Responsible for negotiating PPA and LGIA agreements in relationship to Power plant capacity limitations and Energy Guarantees. Responsible for direct negotiations with First Solar Customers on contract exhibits and guarantees. Responsible for Department Sox reporting of Liquidated Damages/Bonuses for Performance and Availability Guarantees. Responsible for customer management and interaction through First Solar commissioning including block and power plant capacity testing needed to achieve Substantial Completion as well as Performance Energy/PR and Effective Availability Guarantees and Testing. Responsible for assessing risk on projects and advising deal teams and First Solar Executive Management on how to mitigate risk. Provided support for Commissioning and Testing as it relates to Performance testing. He was responsible for building and managing the Technical Group for the Development of First Solar Power Plant Designs associated with Energy Predictions and optimizations using PVSYST/Plant Predict.
2000 – 2011
Arizona Public Services (APS) - Project Executive IT Experience
Trading Floor – Projects ranged from $5-10M and 8-20 employees:
Managed the development of a Real Time Gas system for the APS Trading floor which included Generation Plant modifications to install new digital meter tubes, gas chromatographs/computers, pressure, temperature sensors, etc. Installed DMZ/PI systems to capture plant data used for real time Heat Rate trending and Gas burn information. Managed the development of a Power Trading Unit Commitment System including Disaster Recovery system for the APS Trading floor.
Distribution Operations – Projects ranged from $30-40M and 20-60 employees.
Distribution Operations Management System (DOMS) APS Distribution Operations SCADA and Trouble Call System which included Policies, Procedures, Operational Logs, reporting, real time outage identification and switching, to ensure accurate reporting and rapid resolution of outages. This role included, Mobile Trouble Call System Project and GIS Viewing tool and implemented a Statewide GIS Project and Integration Plan.
Generation –- Project cost was $25-45M and 200+ employees
Managed the redesign of the PVNGS to allow operation of the plants following a Steam Generator Tube Rupture event and subsequent shut down of the plants by the NRC.
Managed the design and installation of the APS infrastructure work for the Redhawk power plant during construction and through plant implementation.
1980 – 2000
Arizona Public Services (APS) - Nuclear Engineering Experience
Manager Nuclear Fuels/Engineering Design Manager/PRA Supervisor at PVNGS –
Nuclear Fuels Engineering Manager responsible for a department of 45 with a budget in excess of $30M/yr. Managed the design, safety analysis and subsequent licensing with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of the reactor core for all reloads. Managed the optimization of reload fuel designs to minimize the annual $100M spent in nuclear fuel Uranium, Conversion, Enrichment and Fuel Fabrication Costs.
Engineering Design Manager responsible for a department of 35 with a budget of $25M/year. Responsible for mechanical design engineering group, Equipment Qualification program, PRA program and Reliability Centered Maintenance program for PVNGS. Implemented the Failure Data Trending program, developed the ability to perform Equipment Qualification on site.
PRA Supervisor responsible for group of 10 with a budget of $1 M/year. Responsible for establishing the PRA group which is still in place today at PVNGS. Responsible for the Independent Plant Examination (IPE) submittal to the NRC and subsequent plant modification work to comply with the IPE requirements.
LICENSES/REGISTRATIONS
Professional Engineer,
Nuclear Engineering – AZ
OTHER SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE/TRAINING
PMP Certified in Project Management
EDUCATION
MSE, Computer Science in Engineering,
Arizona State University,
Tempe, AZ
BSE, Nuclear Engineering,
Arizona State University,
Tempe, AZ