James Gundersen
Fair Oaks,CA
Summary
21+ years’ experience in Dispatch. I have acquired constant knowledge in the understanding and implementation of the NCPA marketing, bidding and scheduling system and software since its inception. Upon the acceptance of the Relief position in Dispatch & Scheduling, I have been instrumental in the forward progress & transformation of this department from the previous CAISO model and successfully modified the Scheduling Coordinator’s position to be proficient in the MRTU model. I am knowledgeable of NCPA’s internal system of databases and the many relationships that involve the software that the Preschedulers, Scheduling Coordinators & Dispatchers use on a daily and continual basis. I have been responsible for the testing of many internal & external software for production use. I have personally worked alongside many different people from the Marketing, Software Design, Settlements, General Managers, External Energy Counterparts, Plant Operators, Transmission Experts, Contracts Negotiators, etc. and feel very comfortable interacting with many people with many backgrounds. I am always interested in acquiring more knowledge of the Electricity Industry and try achieving different goals to keep updated with the most updated industry conception and forward progress.
Results-driven management professional with proven ability to lead teams to success. Strong focus on team collaboration, operational efficiency, and achieving measurable outcomes. Adept at strategic planning, process improvement, and fostering culture of accountability and excellence. Known for adaptability and consistently meeting changing organizational needs.
Knowledgeable in Dispatch & Scheduling Coordination with solid history of managing teams and driving operational success. Skilled in implementing strategic initiatives that enhance productivity and efficiency. Demonstrated ability in problem-solving and decision-making.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Acting Manager of Dispatch & Scheduling
Northern California Power Agency (NCPA)
08.2024 - 05.2025
- Acting Manager of Dispatch & Scheduling - Started Sept 25, 2003
- Acting Hydro Resource Scheduler/Pre-Scheduler - Manage reservoir storage levels based on hydrologic conditions, forecast and plans, Prepare volume and stream flow forecast, Generation forecasting and planning, Perform analysis of historical and real-time reservoir inflow and out flow, Communicate and advise project participants of forecast changes impacting generation schedule, Coordinate generation schedules, Collect, review, verify and process data gathering, Administer FA3 Payback, Coordinate with NCPA Hydro, Real time Dispatch Center and Hydro Operations, Snow Survey - analyze snow pack for runoff forecasting, Assist Hydro compliance, Perform daily pre-scheduling function, which requires daily marketing ability, coordination with real-time staff. Daily BA/PC pre-schedule preparation, coordination and submittal as scheduling agent to PG&E, Plumas Sierra scheduling, Coordination with Truckee Donner scheduling daily net short procurement requirements for energy on transmission, Daily support for NCPA Power Pool pre-scheduling activities, which requires daily marketing of surplus and acquisitions of shortages, e-tagging, coordination with real-time staff, etc., Initiating third party transactions to meet load and reliability requirements at least cost within the pre-schedule and balance of month time frames, Purchasing and selling surplus energy, capacity, transmission, and ancillary services, Developing and implementing strategies to maximize resource value and limit financial exposure.
- Scheduling Coordinator/Dispatcher– Ensured compliance with all applicable NERC & WECC Standards, Handled real time energy transactions, Responsible for Operating Hydro & CT projects, Responsible for dispatching all other NCPA generation, Operator and/or monitor of member resources as assigned, Monitor of city metering and communication, Coordination of maintenance for system problems, Participatory in outage planning, Responsible for load forecasting, Coordination ISO units and bids, Coordination and executes Hydro project releases, maintenance of accurate logging and record keeping, personally direct switching to 230 KV, personally directs emergency operations, Authority to implement load shedding procedures and direct other emergency operations as necessary when acting as the NCPA System Load Dispatcher Shift position, or as directed by the Transmission Operator or Balancing Authority.
- Scheduling Coordinator/Relief – Lead MRTU Analyst, Managed with Dispatch training and implementation for all Scheduling Coordinators during & after the completion of the CAISO’s upgrade to MRTU, Coordinated with Preschedulers, Dispatchers, Software developers, CAISO employees and management, External Energy Agencies, NCPA management & project managers, Tested CAISO’s MRTU Software, Internal software and any related software, Implemented to Scheduling Coordinators & Dispatchers the switchover from the CAISO’s M0z system to the MRTU system. Assisted in the preparation and implementation of operations procedures, RSAW’s and other related compliance documentation before and during the mandatory NERC Audit. Developed Dispatch procedures to comply with NERC Audit. Personally gained knowledge of the Compliance & Standards put forth by NERC and implemented by WECC and the necessary duties that NCPA had to fulfill for compliance
- Scheduling Coordinator – Coordinate day-ahead, hour-ahead and real time power acquisition and dispatch transactions with member’s utilities and system operators. Schedule system loads, generation facilities and power exchanges with utilities, municipalities, power marketers and agencies in accordance with contracts, CAISO, WECC and Agency policies and procedures. Prepare data and reports, develop scheduling procedures, and monitor electric power markets and system conditions.
- Led cross-functional teams to optimize energy generation and distribution processes.
- Developed and implemented strategic initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and reliability.
- Managed budget planning and resource allocation for multiple projects, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
- Oversaw compliance with regulatory requirements, enhancing safety protocols across operations.
- Managed and motivated employees to be productive and engaged in work.
- Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by resolving disputes promptly, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
Market Operator
Automated Power Exchange, Inc.
06.1999 - 07.2002
- Scheduled Day Ahead & Hour-Ahead trades in both California & Texas markets for over seventy customers. Resolved scheduling disputes pertaining to multiple Scheduling Coordinator ID’s (CAISO) & Qualified Scheduling Coordinators (ERCOT). Created & processed Ancillary Service bids in the CAISO & ERCOT. Survey & respond to CAISO ADS dispatches. Scheduled RMR units & responded to RMR dispatch instructions. Monitored generation status, scheduled & scheduled generator outages using CAISO SLIC program. Dispatched Category 1-4, OOME & OOMC deployments to generators & took action to mitigate the APX portfolio Scheduling control error. Monitored a portfolio of generation assets to control for compliance with ancillary service regulations & dispatch up & down balancing deployments. Communication with ERCOT & APX participants to ensure compliance with ERCOT protocols. Utilized SCADA to monitor numerous generators & controlled generation when necessary. Maintained proprietary trading & scheduling platforms (APX Market Window). Created as well as reviewed E-Tags in WECC. Scheduled existing transmission contracts & Firm Transmission Rights as well as coordinated Real-Time trading & transmission scheduling for participants. Maintained a survey of CAISO. Performed load forecast for specific participants. Trained customers in use of APX’s Market Window. Trained customers in use of APX, Inc Market Window. Used Market Window to bid into CalPX, APX Market & Green Trading Hub Market.
Education
High School Diploma -
Leigh High School
San Jose06-1994
Skills
- OATI (E-Tags), Excel, Internal NCPA Software (TABS, MARS, PreScheduler, MSS Report, NCPA Log, UEA, NCPA Data Portal), CAISO Related Software (CDI, CMRI, OASIS, SIBR, OMS), MS Outlook, SCADA, PI
- Customer service
- Team leadership
- Time management
- Decision-making
- Verbal and written communication
- Complex Problem-solving
- Staff training and development
- Staff management
- Task delegation
- Goal setting
- Documentation and reporting
- Relationship building
- Strategic planning
Certification
- Western Electric Coordinating Council Operations Training
- Scheduler Session 1
- Dispatchers Training Session 1 & 2
- Electric Reliability Council of Texas Training
- Operations Training Seminar
Training
- MRTU CAISO Market Participant Portal
- Power System Dispatch & Scheduling, Western Electricity Coordinating Council
- CAISO CETAC Summer Assessment
- NERC Compliance/Standards, Audit related Training
Timeline
Acting Manager of Dispatch & Scheduling
Northern California Power Agency (NCPA)
08.2024 - 05.2025
Market Operator
Automated Power Exchange, Inc.
06.1999 - 07.2002
High School Diploma -
Leigh High School
Similar Profiles
Ajinkya PatilAjinkya Patil
Trailer Director at NCPATrailer Director at NCPA
Tien Hsing ChangTien Hsing Chang
IT Technical Support Specialist at Swagelok Northern CaliforniaIT Technical Support Specialist at Swagelok Northern California
Martin BorjasMartin Borjas
Adult League Coordinator at USTA Northern CaliforniaAdult League Coordinator at USTA Northern California
Blake MeyerBlake Meyer
Plumber Apprentice at Ace Plumbing, Heating And AirPlumber Apprentice at Ace Plumbing, Heating And Air
Thomas CheneyThomas Cheney
Assistant in Civil Engineering at County of El Dorado Department of TransportationAssistant in Civil Engineering at County of El Dorado Department of Transportation