Chris Smitherman, P.E., NCSO

Experience

• 

  BellSouth

  Jan 1999 - Jan 2006

  Senior Business Analyst

  Analyzed service order processing and made recommendations to subject matter experts regarding process errors. Created a MS Access database used by my group to compile reports containing specific error information. Supported Local Carrier Service Center (LCSC) operations.

• 

  Southern Company

  Jun 2006 - now

  Responsible for assessing the flexible operation capabilities of Southern Company's power generation resources required to reliably and economically integrate increasing amounts of variable energy resources (VERs) into system operations. Flexibility assessments included reviewing existing unit turndown capabilities (i.e.: low load operation), automatic generation control (AGC) response, and combustion turbine quick-start capabilities. Collaborated with various organizations across the company, including Resource Planning, Technical Services, and Generation to identify and evaluate opportunities to increase operational flexibility. Show less Responsible for the overall supervision of the Monitoring and Diagnostic Center, a 24/7 group of analysts responsible for monitoring various plant processes and equipment, identifying deviations from expected operation before potential failures occur, thereby increasing unit reliability and improving efficiency. Other responsibilities included several other programs aimed at improving plant operating performance, including alarm management, generating unit startup evaluations, and standards development. Show less Responsible for various generating performance metrics, including heat rate, automatic generation control (AGC), and alarm management. Collaborated with multiple departments to identify heat rate improvements and perform cost-benefit analyses of various projects to improve plant performance. Led a cross-functional team responsible for managing DCS alarms, closely following EPRI standards related to alarm management to ensure plant operators receive the right information necessary to respond to abnormal operating events. Responsible for risk management activities with regards to operational decisions involving safety, compliance, asset protection, and unit reliability. Led risk analysis efforts and promoted a "questioning attitude" among all plant employees. Show less Supported unit commitment and economic dispatch operations of Southern Company's generating fleet. Developed multiple tools used by Fleet Optimization and Real-Time Operations to make decisions regarding unit dispatch costs and abnormal unit operations. Responsible for the automatic generation control (AGC) performance of Southern Company's generating fleet and worked with plant and control center personnel to ensure compliance with NERC standards BAL-001, BAL-002, and BAL-005. Developed outlooks for summer and winter generation peak demands and assessed the generating fleet's ability to meet those demands. Show less

  • Real-Time Operations Manager

    Apr 2023 - now

  • Real-Time Operations Supervisor

    Oct 2022 - Apr 2023

  • Fleet Optimization Project Manager

    Jan 2018 - Oct 2022

  • Operation Services Project Manager

    Oct 2016 - Jan 2018

  • Monitoring and Diagnostic Center Supervisor

    Dec 2013 - Oct 2016

  • Plant Operations Engineer

    Feb 2011 - Dec 2013

  • Operation Services Engineer

    Jun 2006 - Feb 2011