GEOFFREY F BROWN
Contact Details
Geoff Brown & Associates Ltd
77 Taylors Rd
Mt Albert
Auckland 1025
New Zealand
Ph/Fax:64-9-846 6004
Mob:64-21-466 693
Email:
Years of Experience
40
Recent Employment History
2002-presentSelf employed consultant
1988-2002PB Power (formerly DesignPower New Zealand Ltd), Senior Engineer-Engineering Manager
1985-88KRTA Ltd (consulting engineers), Senior Engineer
Date of Birth21 January 1949 / Nationality
New Zealand / Languages
English, French (basic)
Country Experience
Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, England, Maldives, Micronesia, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam
Education
B.B.S., Massey University, New Zealand, 1991; M.E., Electrical, University of Canterbury, New Zealand, 1972; B.E.(Hons), Electrical, University of Canterbury, New Zealand, 1970
Professional Affiliations
Member of Electricity Engineers Association, New Zealand; Member of Institution of Professional Engineers, New Zealand;
Professional Registrations
Chartered Professional Engineer, New Zealand
WORK EXPERIENCE
Electricity Regulation
•Electricity Transmission Regulation, New Zealand; Review of an investment test application for the construction of a new zone substation in Western Australia (2013).
•Electricity Distribution Regulation, New Zealand; Verification of a regulatory price path application by Orion New Zealand to the New Zealand Commerce Commission to provide for the rebuilding of Orion’s network following the Christchurch earthquakes (2012-13)
•Technical Rules, Australia; Development of model technical rules for the operation of regulated networks in Western Australia (2012)
•Electricity Transmission Regulation, Australia; Review of a regulatory test application for the construction of a new zone substation in Western Australia (2012)
•Electricity Transmission Regulation, Australia; Review of Western Power’s forecast capital and operations expenditure and service standards for the 2012-17 regulatory period for the Economic Regulation Authority of Western Australia (2011-12)
•Electricity Transmission Regulation, Australia; Technical review of regulatory and investment test applications for a major 330kV grid extension project for the Economic Regulation Authority of Western Australia (2011-12)
•Electricity Transmission Regulation, New Zealand; Review of forecast operations and minor capital expenditure of Transpower for the New Zealand Commerce Commission (2010-11)
•Technical Rules, Australia; senior technical advisor for the review of technical rules for the Economic Regulation Authority as part of the new open access regime for the interconnected transmission and distribution network in Western Australia (2008-11)
•Electricity Price Regulation, Philippines; project manager for the Energy Regulatory Commission for the setting of a regulatory revenue cap for the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines for the 2011-15 regulatory period (2009-10)
•Technical review for the Economic Regulation Authority of an electricity retail licence application of a small start-up retailer in Western Australia (2010)
•Expenditure Review, Philippines; project manager for the review of forecast expenditures by six privately owned Philippines distribution utilities submitted to the Energy Regulatory Commission as part of a revenue application under performance based rate setting (2010)
•Regulatory Review, Australia; review of governance processes and past capital expenditure of Western Power for the Economic Regulation Authority. This work forms part of the Authority’s review of Western Power’s regulatory access arrangements for 2009-12 (2009)
•Regulatory Test, Australia; technical advisor to the Economic Regulation Authority for the review of a regulatory test application for network extensions by Western Power (2008-09)
•Quality Thresholds, New Zealand; review of a report prepared for the New Zealand Commerce Commission on possible changes to the quality thresholds used in the Commission’s threshold control regime (2008)
•Expenditure Review, Philippines; project manager for the review of forecast expenditures by three privately owned Philippines distribution utilities submitted to the Energy Regulatory Commission as part of a revenue application under performance based rate setting (2008)
•Lifeline Rate Review, Philippines; preparation of a discussion paper for the Asian Development Bank on the effectiveness of the current arrangements for setting lifeline electricity rates in the Philippines and the design of possible new arrangements (2007)
•Expenditure Review, Philippines; project manager for the review of forecast expenditures by three privately owned Philippines distribution utilities (including Meralco) submitted to the Energy Regulatory Commission as part of a revenue application under performance based rate setting (2006-07)
•Transmission Business Regulation, Australia; project manager for a comprehensive review of Powerlink’s forecast capital and operational expenditure and service standards for the Australian Energy Regulator (2006-07)
•Distribution Lines Business Regulation, New Zealand; review of the asset, valuation, planned capital and operating expenditure of a New Zealand distribution business for the Commerce Commission (2006)
•Technical Rules, Australia; responsible for the development of technical rules for the Economic Regulation Authority as part of the design of a new open access regime for the interconnected transmission and distribution network in Western Australia (2005-07)
•Regulatory Technical Audits, Australia; chief auditor responsible for undertaking two regulatory technical audits of a Victorian distribution business on behalf of the Office of the Regulator General in Victoria. The audit was against compliance with the distribution licence and various distribution codes and covered regulatory reporting, asset management, system planning and technical and commercial operational procedures. (1999, 2003)
•Electricity Transmission Pricing, Australia; project manager for a review of Powerlink’s regulatory application including a review of its regulatory asset, valuation (2001). capital and operating expenditure requirements, and service standards. (2001)
•Electricity Distribution Price Review, Australia; principal technical advisor to the Office of the Regulator General in Victoria, Australia for the 2001 Electricity Distribution Price Review. Work included a review of the capital expenditure forecasts and reliability targets submitted by distributors and development of an incentive scheme for supply reliability. (2000)
Electricity Supply Reliability
•Reliability Regulation Review, New Zealand; peer review of a report into the future regulation of electricity distribution supply reliability for the New Zealand Commerce Commission (2008).
•Electricity Supply Reliability Assessment, Australia; analysis of incidents involving a significant loss of electricity supply to determine whether they meet criteria for the application of regulatory penalties for poor electricity supply reliability (2001)
•Service Standards Review, Australia; review of Powerlink’s proposed service standards as submitted with its 2002 regulatory pricing application. (2001)
•Electricity Supply Reliability Assessment, Australia; review of the reliability of electricity supply by distribution companies in Victoria, Australia for the 1999 calendar year and participation in a detailed review of the reasons for a perceived poor reliability of supply in rural parts of Victoria. (2000)
•Reliability Incentive Scheme, Australia; development of the incentive scheme for supply reliability introduced by the Office of the Regulator General, Victoria, as part of the 2001 Electricity Distribution Price Review. (2000)
Electricity Retail Competition
•Electricity Retail Competition, Australia; project manager responsible for monitoring the readiness of distribution and retail licensees for the planned introduction of full retail competition in Victoria. (2001)
Asset Valuation
•Asset Valuation Review, New Zealand; Review of a regulatory asset valuation for a New Zealand electricity distribution business (20010-11)
•Distribution System Asset Valuation, Philippines; senior analyst for the regulatory asset valuation for the Energy Regulatory Commission of the distribution system assets of three privately owned Philippines distribution utilities (2008)
•Transmission System Replacement Costs, New Zealand; senior analyst assisting the Commerce Commission develop standard replacement costs for transmission assets for use in regulatory asset valuations (2005-06)
•Asset Valuation Review, New Zealand; review of the methodology used to optimise and values assets connecting the New Zealand HVDC link to the South Island AC grid for the New Zealand Commerce Commission (2005)
•Asset Valuation Rules Review, New Zealand; senior analyst assisting the Commerce Commission review the rules for the optimised deprival valuation of New Zealand Electricity Lines Businesses (2003-2004)
•Asset Valuation, New Zealand; senior analyst for a regulatory audit of the asset valuation of all New Zealand electricity transmission and distribution businesses (2001-2002)
•Optimisation Rules Review, ODV Valuation, New Zealand; senior analyst responsible for the review of the optimisation rules for regulatory asset valuations of distribution networks in New Zealand. (1999-2000)
•Asset Valuation Review, Australia; senior analyst responsible for the review of the regulatory asset valuation of the transmission assets of the Snowy Mountain Hydro Electricity Authority. (1999)
Network Planning and Asset Management
•Asset Management Plans, New Zealand; Assist two New Zealand electricity distribution businesses prepare asset management plans in accordance with the Commerce Commission’s information disclosure requirements (2009-2013)
•Review of Transmission System Development Plans, Australia; Review of transmission system development plans for Transend, the transmission utility in the Australian state of Tasmania (2007, 2008)
•Assessment of Electricity Supply Vulnerabilities, Singapore; Member of a team looking at the potential vulnerabilities of the electric power system in Singapore (2005)
•Asset Management Review, New Zealand; asset management specialist assisting with a review of the asset management plans of electricity distribution businesses and development of new asset management plan disclosure requirements for the Commerce Commission (2005, 2007-08)
•Electricity Distribution Engineering, China; electricity distribution engineer for an Asian Development Bank project preparatory technical assistance project for the construction of a new 500 kV transmission line in Liaoning Province, China. (2000)
•Rural Electricity Supply Review, Tonga; technical expert on a panel reviewing a project feasibility study and brief for the electrification of the Ha’apai group of outer islands in Tonga. (2000)
•Asset Replacement Forecasting, New Zealand; senior analyst responsible for the development of a long-term forecast of non-load related asset replacement requirements for a New Zealand electricity distribution company. (1999-2000)
•Distribution System Upgrade, Brunei; project manager responsible for the development of a master plan, preparation of tender documents and the evaluation of tenders for the upgrading of the 11 kV distribution system in the Temburong District. (1997-1999)
•Sub-transmission System Development Studies; project manager and analyst responsible for the investigation of alternative upgrade scenarios for the sub-transmission systems of two New Zealand electricity distribution businesses. (1992, 1997)
•Distribution Planning Studies, Vietnam; team leader responsible for computer based planning studies into the development of sub-transmission and distribution systems in Quang Nam Danang province, Vietnam. (1992).
Engineering Management
•Network Business Due Diligence, New Zealand: member of a team undertaking a technical due diligence on behalf of a prospective purchaser of a New Zealand network business (2013)
•Project Evaluation Reviews, (various countries): engineering economist assisting Asian Development Bank staff undertake evaluations of the effectiveness of various Bank financed loan and technical assistance power development projects (2003-2011)
•Rural Electrification, Philippines: preparation of a five year plan for the electrification of remote rural communities in the Philippines (2004-2005)
•Power Industry Profile, Philippines: analysis of the ongoing financial and technical problems being faced by the electric power industry in the Philippines for on behalf of the Asian Development Bank (2003-2005)
•Project Reviews, Philippines: responsible for the evaluation of past projects and for assisting with the review of a new loan application for transmission system development and the introduction of a wholesale electricity market management system for the Asian Development Bank (2002)
•Due Diligence, Australia; project manager responsible for the technical due diligence of CitiPower’s distribution system for a prospective purchaser. (2002)
•Safety Audits, New Zealand; auditor responsible for undertaking audits of distribution company safety procedures for compliance with New Zealand statutory requirements for the issue of an Employer Licence. (1994-1997)
•Technical Training Centre, Vietnam; team leader and electrical engineer responsible for an investigation into the development of a sub-professional technical training centre in Hanoi, Vietnam. This investigation formed the basis for subsequent development of the training centre, funded by the World Bank. (1993)
•Distribution System Condition Assessment, Cambodia; electrical engineer and member of a team that assessed the condition of electricity distribution systems in seven provincial capitals in Cambodia for international aid agencies. (1993)
Design and Construction
•Design and Construction Standards, Bhutan; development of electrical safety regulations and distribution design and construction standards for the electricity regulator and government owned electricity distributor in Bhutan (2004-2006).
•Underground Distribution System, Cook Islands; project manager responsible for the planning, design, procurement, installation and commissioning of a new 11 kV underground distribution system interconnecting all villages on the island of Mangaia in the Cook Islands. (1994-98)
•Distribution System Design and Construction Standards, New Zealand; project manager responsible for the development of design and construction standards for a number of New Zealand electricity distribution companies. (1995-1997)
•EHV Transmission Substation Design; project manager and electrical design engineer responsible for a number of projects related to the upgrading of a number of transmission substations on the New Zealand electricity grid. (1990-1996)
•Development of Contract Documents, New Zealand; engineer responsible for assisting a large New Zealand electricity distribution company develop standard contract documents and procedures for the contracting out of network contract and maintenance activities. (1996)
•Distribution System Design Review (Vietnam); team leader responsible for review of a local design of a distribution system to support a major water irrigation system in Vietnam, with particular reference to the ability of the system to start large irrigation pumps. (1992)
•Distribution System Installation, New Zealand; project manager for the installation contractor involved in the installation of an electricity distribution system to supply the 300 houses and associated administration facilities for the British Commonwealth Games held in Auckland in 1990. (1989-90)
Earlier Experience
•Electricity Distribution, New Zealand; senior electrical engineer responsible for designing an 11kV underground reticulation system for the athletes’ village for the 1990 British Commonwealth Games in Auckland. (1988)
•Geothermal Power Station Design, New Zealand; senior electrical engineer responsible for designing electrical services for the Ohaaki Power Station including automatic voltage regulators, uninterruptible power supplies, DC reticulation, control and protection relay panels, and cable layout and schedules. (1987-1988)
•Industrial Electricity Distribution, New Zealand; senior electrical engineer responsible for the design of 11 kV and 400 kV reticulation layout of main and control cabling for equipment being installed for manufacturing medium density fibre board in a new factory. Total loading was approximately 16 MW. (1985-1986)
•Electricity Distribution, New Zealand; deputy chief engineer of the Bay of Islands electric Power Board, a rural electricity distribution company. In this role Geoff was responsible for:
-Design extensions to the board's 11 kV and 400 kV distribution system, including the replacement of 400 V overhead distribution by underground cable.
-Design and procurement of a SCADA system providing control of circuit breakers, indication of feeder currents, and bus voltages and alarms from five 33/11 kV substations.
-Serving on a standby roster for after-hours operation and maintenance of the board's network. (1981-1985)
•Hydro Electric Generating Station Construction, New Zealand; senior engineer responsible for the installation of 220 kV indoor SF6 circuit breakers and control panels during initial construction stages of Rangipo remote controlled 120 MW hydro electric generating station. (1980-1981)
•Thermal Power Station Construction, New Zealand; senior engineer responsible for assisting with investigations to mothball the Marsden B 250 MVA oil-fired steam generating station. The method determined involved filling the boiler and steam pipes with nitrogen to prevent corrosion and protecting motor and turbine bearings with oil-based preservative compounds. (1979-1980)
•Coal-Fired Steam Generating Station, New Zealand; senior engineer for a power station re-instrumentation project. In this role Geoff was responsible for:
-Installation of supervisory instrumentation on turbines to monitor shaft deflection and vibration.
-Installation of new control panels for turbine and generating plant.
-Replacement of instrumentation, controllers, and control actuators for six boilers.
-Compilation of a detailed project plan for implementation. (1976-1979)
•Gas-Turbine Generating Station, New Zealand; engineer responsible for design modifications to four salt water cooling pumps to provide flexible pump utilisation and matching of pumping output to generation. (1974-1976)
•Saudi Arabian Power System; engineer responsible for undertaking computer-based studies of a 700 MW power system for operation at 110 and 66 kV. (1973-1974)
•Transmission Substation Construction, New Zealand; engineer responsible for overseeing construction, including
-220 and 33 kV lattice structures
-Two 220 kV line terminators
-One 100 MVA bank of single phase 220-110/33 kV supply transformers
-Four 33 kV feeders (1972-1973)
Publications
Co-author, “Reliability Incentives in a Regulated Environment”, Proceedings of the New Zealand Electricity Engineers’ Association Conference, 2001. Also presented at Distribution 2001, Brisbane.
Author, “Performance Comparison of Lines Companies”, Proceedings of the New Zealand Electricity Engineers’ Association Conference, 2000.
Author, “22 kV Distribution”, Proceedings of the New Zealand Electricity Engineers’ Association Conference, 1998.
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