R. Peter Mackin, P.E.

Senior Vice President, Analytical Services

Academic Background

  • M.S. Electric Engineering, Montana State University, 1982
  • B.S. Civil Engineering, Montana State University, 1981

Professional Experience

Peter Mackin is an engineering professional with a strong technical background and a deep understanding of the electrical utility industry. Mr. Mackin has over 33 years of power system planning and computer application development experience and has been involved in WSCC/WECC planning and operating activities since 1985. Mr. Mackin joined Utility System Efficiencies, Inc. (USE) in April 2006. At USE, among other duties, Mr. Mackin has directed and performed system studies to meet the requirements of the WECC Project Rating Review Process, assisted developer clients with interconnection applications, and supervised a wind integration study for FERC.

While employed at Navigant Consulting, Inc., Mr. Mackin performed several transmission and resource integration studies for the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) as well as generation interconnection studies and transmission feasibility analyses for other clients. In 2005, Mr. Mackin was vice chairman of the NERC Phase III/IV Standards Drafting Team which was responsible for revising the NERC Phase III/IV Standards to be clear and enforceable while incorporating the concerns of the industry as reflected in comments that were received. In 2004, Mr. Mackin was a member of the NERC Version 0 Standards Drafting Team that revised the NERC Planning Standards and Operating Practices to create the Version 0 set of NERC Reliability Standards.

While employed by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), Mr. Mackin performed or reviewed system planning studies for Reliability Must Run generation requirements, new generator interconnection studies, as well as Participating Transmission Owner annual Transmission Assessments. In addition, Mr. Mackin helped develop the CAISO’s New Facility Interconnection Policy and Long-Term Grid Planning Policy. Mr. Mackin has provided expert witness testimony regarding six new generation projects before the California Energy Commission.

While employed by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Mr. Mackin was the lead transmission planning engineer performing transient stability simulations for the 500 kV California – Oregon Transmission Project. In addition, Mr. Mackin performed, supervised or reviewed studies to determine simultaneous import capabilities into California from the Pacific Northwest and the Desert Southwest. For two years, he served as chairman of the work group that undertook these studies comprised of utilities from California, the Northwest, and the Southwest.