Responsibilities:

The Hydro Electrical Technician tests, troubleshoots, installs, repairs, and maintains electrical control systems, protection systems, and equipment in hydroelectric power generating stations and facilities, and operates, controls, and maintains hydroelectric turbine generator units and auxiliary equipment. This position reports to the Hydroelectric Technical Supervisor.  

Essential Duties: (other duties may be assigned)

• Test, troubleshoot, and diagnose malfunctions or failures of electrical or mechanical operational equipment such as generators, transformers, and turbines using precision test equipment.
• Disassemble, repair, or replace defective parts and calibrate to within specified standards.
• Test, repair, calibrate, and install protective relays, digital controls, governors, and excitation systems.
• Test and repair equipment circuitry and interpret schematic and wiring diagrams.
• Test, troubleshoot, repair, and replace printed circuit boards.
• Clean and repair windings and bearings of generators and motors.
• Perform acceptance tests, and preventative and corrective maintenance to electrical equipment such as transformers, circuit breakers, voltage regulators, generators, motors, inverters, programmable logic controllers, SCADA systems, and battery systems to correct malfunctions.
• Perform condition assessment of electrical equipment such as vibration, thermography, partial discharge, and oil and gas analysis. 
• Inspect and patrol overhead electrical transmission and distribution circuits for NERC compliance. 
• Maintain/update electrical drawings, equipment files, sketches, reports, and records to adequately document changes or alternations made to electrical systems.
• Complete and document NERC PRC-005 tests and calibrations.
• Operate, control, and monitor hydroelectric generating units and auxiliary equipment.
• Inform system dispatch and supervisors of the status of operating equipment.
• Utilize a Computerized Maintenance Management System to plan work assignments and document test results and repairs.
• Perform housekeeping duties to keep work areas clean and safe.

Benefits:   NCPA offers excellent benefits, including CalPERS medical and retirement plans. See our website for more details on NCPA’s extensive benefits package.

NCPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Completion of a recognized Electrical Technician apprenticeship (preferred).
• At least two (2) years of journey level Electrical Technician experience, preferably in hydroelectric power generation.
• Unrestricted CA Drivers License and clean driving record.
• Ability to complete physically demanding work in rough natural terrain, and noisy environments with the presence of safety hazards that must be properly managed to ensure safe operations.
• Willingness to relocate permanent residence to within 50 miles of Murphys, CA.

About Northern California Power Agency (NCPA)

The Northern California Power Agency (NCPA), a California Joint Action Agency, was established in 1968 by a consortium of locally owned electric utilities to make joint investments in energy resources that would ensure an affordable, reliable, and clean supply of electricity for customers in its member communities. NCPA members include municipalities, a rural electric cooperative, and other publicly owned entities for which the not-for-profit agency provides such services as the purchase, aggregation, scheduling, and management of electrical energy. Most critically for its 16 members, NCPA over the past four decades has constructed and today operates and maintains a fleet of power plants that is among the cleanest in the nation, and that provides reliable and affordable electricity to more than 700,000 Californians. NCPA made a major investment in renewable energy in the early 1980s when it developed two geothermal power plants and financed and built a 250 megawatt hydroelectric facility. Thirty years later, these resources continue to generate reliable, emission-free electricity for its member communities. NCPA’s 796-megawatt portfolio of power plants is approximately 55% gr...eenhouse gas emission-free. NCPA’s mix of geothermal, hydroelectric, and natural gas resources is well positioned to help its members achieve California’s goal of a 60% Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) by 2030. NCPA member utilities also have invested heavily in the most environmentally friendly form of electricity—the megawatts that you don’t use. NCPA’s commitment to the environment reflects its status as a not-for-profit public entity whose policies and values are set not by investors, but by locally elected or appointed officials who serve as the energy regulators in the cities, towns, and districts that are members of the Agency.

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Connections working at Northern California Power Agency (NCPA)