PJM, MISO and ERCOT
Role of Business Architect at these major worldwide RTOs/ISOs. In this role, he played an early and yet very important role in shaping the energy markets in North America which in turn influenced world-wide energy markets. Dr. Vadari was a part of the team that identified the core capabilities required for the RTO/ISO and then helped convert the capabilities into a technical architecture and the system components and interfaces necessary for the systems to work. In later years, he also performed similar roles at a non-US-based RTO.
BC Hydro/BC Transmission Corporation
Both the Business Architect and the Program Manager for the large multi-dimensional effort that was undertaken to develop a System and Market Operator in the province of British Columbia Canada. Dr. Vadari’s team implemented several key market-facing capabilities and their associated systems such as Energy Scheduling and tagging, Transmission scheduling and calculate/update ATC/TTC, Market Settlements, Dispatch and Compliance Management and Management of the Cost Recovery Mechanism.
Multiple GenCos
Dr. Vadari led the team that implemented several capabilities required for these (and several other companies) to interact with their respective wholesale markets as diverse as AESO (Alberta), PJM, and ERCOT. The capabilities and systems implemented under Dr. Vadari’s leadership included Energy trading, Energy and transmission scheduling, Settlements and volume management, Risk management and all interactions with the real-time operations. Specifically, in each project.
Strategic NY-based GenCo
Dr. Vadari was one of the key leads focused on establishing this company as an independent GenCo which was later sold to Reliant (and now part of NRG). Dr. Vadari’s team was responsible for implementing all aspects of generation operations including wholesale markets trading and settlements with PJM and NYISO. A GMS (Generation Management System) was specified as a part of this project and procured.
Large Midwest Canadian GenCo
Dr. Vadari’s team performed a full assessment of their IT infrastructure and systems, delivered recommended improvements and also implemented a comprehensive scheduling and settlements system to track and settle their energy transactions in all the markets that they served including AESO, WECC and CAISO.
Texas GenCo
The Company was created as part of the Texas electricity market. Dr. Vadari’s team led several projects at this client starting with an IT assessment project, leading to a GMS (Generation Management System) procurement effort and finally assisted in the M&A assessment of the systems just prior to their purchase by a set of private equity companies.
BC Hydro Genco Generation Control Center Strategy
The creation of BCTC within the BC Hydro umbrella resulted in major changes to the utility landscape in British Columbia. Until this change, the old transmission Line of Business was providing the Generation Line of Business (GLob) with Generation Control Services. GLob needed to analyze their options in addressing current and future generation control capabilities that resulted as a separation of BCTC. Dr. Vadari’s was the Business architect responsible for defining a new operating model and also developing a high-level cost-benefit analysis for each option and a roadmap for implementation.
Ameren – Generation Control Consolidation Strategy
Ameren’s Power Operations group had a vision to remotely operate its fleet of generation plants closely integrated with Trading and ESO functional processes. The vision involved the creation of an Energy Optimization Center integrating the Generation Operations, System Operations (ESO) and Trading Operations groups in one central physical location. As a part of the vision, the Generation Operations group would utilize centralized control room operations, maintenance and environmental analysis across multiple units to optimize overall fleet performance. Dr. Vadari led a team that developed an integrated operating model (processes, resources, and interfaces), business case, and a program plan for implementing the activities identified in the operating model.
Southern California Edison (SCE) – QSE Diagnostic
SCE had requested a review of its Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) capabilities (people, process, and technology) and identify business issues that may be constraining its effectiveness and determining associated root causes. The team was also asked to identify and recommend opportunities to enhance their operating margins within the strategic guidelines of the business. Most of the recommendations were accepted and implemented.
Western Energy Imbalance Market
Dr. Vadari led a very experienced team of experts assisting a major Northwest IOU in specifying and selecting an SI (System Integration) vendor to implement all systems necessary for this utility to interact with the Western Energy Imbalance Market driven by CAISO. The work included defining the details of all the systems required and running the entire RFP process that included vendor identification and selection. The team delivered on the process all within budget and within an aggressive schedule.
Dr. Mani Vadari is a well-recognized electric industry leader and visionary, with over 30 years of experience delivering business and technical solutions.