President
Academic Background
B.S., Electrical & Electronic Engineering, with a specialty in Power Systems Engineering, California State University, Sacramento 1987
Professional Experience
Ron Daschmans is an engineering professional with a strong technical background and a deep understanding of the electrical utility industry. Mr. Daschmans has over 28 years of electric system utility experience, specializing in both transmission system planning and operations engineering. Mr. Daschmans possesses extensive experience and a strong working knowledge of the analytic tools that support the system performance evaluation and capital planning processes used by electric utilities. Mr. Daschmans joined Utility System Efficiencies, Inc. (USE) in 2001.
As an Assistant Transmission Planning Engineer with LADWP, Ron was primarily involved in WSCC bulk-system activities. As a member of both the WSCC Pacific And Southwest Transfer (PAST) Technical Studies Work Group and serving as Vice-Chairman of the WSCC PAST Coordination Subcommittee, Ron garnered extensive experience in the evaluation of the WSCC interconnected system. During his tenure at LADWP, Ron also worked closely with SRP to evaluate the technical feasibility of the Westwing-Mead-Adelanto 500 kV transmission project.
While employed as a Senior Transmission Planning Engineer at SMUD, Ron assumed a local-system transmission-planning role, which included technical assessments of new transmission and generation interconnections. Ron was responsible for providing expert witness testimony and testifying on behalf of SMUD at CEC Evidentiary Hearings for the Sacramento Ethanol and Power Cogeneration Project. At the time of Ron’s employment with SMUD, it was determined that the Sacramento area was prone to voltage collapse. Ron developed specialized software tools to assess both the reactive margin (Q-V) and load handling capability (P-V) of the Sacramento area. He was involved in the development and determination of the local area reactive margin criteria.
In addition to local system transmission planning responsibilities, Ron maintained a visible presence in the WSCC arena. He performed Operations System Studies (OSS) for summer 1995 & 1996, and developed the OSS Handbook – a training reference still widely used today. He was also a member of the System Review Work Group (SRWG), the Operating Capability Study Group (OCSG), and served as Chairman of the July 2 & August 10 Disturbance Validation Work Group. During his tenure as Chairman of the Disturbance Validation Work Group, Ron developed & benchmarked the original post-transient & reactive margin bulk-system assessment tools for the GE PSLF software, which are still being used, in various incarnations, today. At the time of Ron’s employment with SMUD, he also conducted transient stability assessments for the proposed Central California-Desert Southwest 500 kV Transmission Project, and participated in the West-of-the-River (WOR) Rating Increase WSCC Review Group.
Ron’s career at the CAISO was split between both Grid Planning & Operations Engineering disciplines. As a Grid Planning Engineer, Ron was responsible for the first Reliability Must-Run (RMR) assessment of the Southern California Edison system, coordination of the San Francisco-Peninsula Planning Study Group to assess the long-term transmission/generation needs of the San Francisco Peninsula, and technical review & coordination of new generation projects interconnecting to the ISO-Controlled Grid. Before changing disciplines from planning to operations, Ron was responsible for providing expert witness testimony and/or testifying on behalf of the CAISO at CEC Hearings for La Paloma, Sunrise, and Elk Hills generation projects.
As a Senior Operations Engineer with the CAISO, Ron was assigned to both Northern California & Greater Bay Area regions. In order to ensure reliable system operation of these regions, Ron was responsible for the development, review & revision of operating procedures, and the engineering evaluation of system clearances and outages. Ron also provided GE PSLF/PSDS/SCSC power flow & transient stability training to members of California utilities and agencies (CEC), mentored new Operations Engineers, and provided OSAT Training “Summer Seminars” on Sacramento Valley voltage collapse with an emphasis on causes and solutions.
Ron obtained his Bachelors of Science degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering with a Utility Power Engineering specialization from California State University, Sacramento. References from any existing or previous client of USE may be made available upon request.
