PVSyst
Theophilus Amara
Electrical Engineering Professional
Freetown,Western Area
Summary
I am a Senior Electrical engineer, with over ten (10) years of distinctive experience, specialized in power distribution grid planning and operations, Electrical power transmission and Distribution, Operations and Maintenance, safety, and Procurement. I possess a Bachelor in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Sierra Leone and a Master's Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of the Ryukyus, in Japan, with research in Distribution Network Grid Optimization incorporating Renewable energy. I am a highly motivated, diligent, and dedicated personality towards the progress and development of any organization.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
16
16
years of post-secondary education
10
10
Certifications
3
3
Languages
Work History
NETWORK MANAGEMENT MANAGER
ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPLY AUTHORITY
Freetown, Sierra Leone, Western Area
07.2021 - Current
- Ensures that the electrical network is operated safely and is well-maintained in order to maximize plant life expectancy and operational efficiency, i.e to maintain voltage levels, minimize technical losses, and ensure maximum availability and acceptable quality of supply to customers.
- Plans the various operational activities that are executed by the O&M Field Services Department
- Monitor and evaluate the work carried out by the Asset Operator and the data received from the field to ensure compliance with equipment design limits, safety rules and regulatory requirements; Make recommendations regarding, and implement modifications to, business processes, work methods, network planning and design with a view to improving overall network performance.
- Managed Network Operating Center (NOC) technical infrastructure and server performance.
- Held change management meetings to inform impacted staff of forthcoming network downtimes and alterations.
- Designed specific escalation processes for detected faults and intrusion attempts, defining response hierarchies to promote optimal outcomes.
- Responded to network outages and issues related to circuits
- Provided network troubleshooting services in response to customer-reported faults and malfunctions.
- Identified timeslots for preventive maintenance by examining work schedules and reducing service disruptions for network users.
- Monitored networks and network equipments to resolve technical problems quickly.
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE MANAGER
ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPLY AUTHORITY
Freetown, Sierra Leone, Western Area
11.2020 - 06.2021
- Executes all field operations and maintenance activities, as directed, in a safe and timeous manner, to ensure that assets are maintained in good condition and perform reliably for the duration of their life under supply outage conditions; locates the fault and restores power to customers as promptly as possible
- Supervised employee performance, preventive maintenance and safety.
- Planned scheduled maintenance outages as part of preventive maintenance program.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction ratings by motivating team members to strengthen quality and increase productivity.
- Monitored safety compliance to maintain strict standards and protect team members from harm.
- Organized ongoing maintenance schedules to boost system performance.
- Delegated tasks to carefully selected employees in alignment with resource management goals.
- Monitored priorities and liaised between maintenance team and management, delegating tasks to complete on time.
- Contributed to development, implementation and execution of maintenance programs.
- Completed partial or full dismantling of equipment to quickly repair or replace defective components and restore functionality.
- Created and implemented maintenance program to optimize operational efficiency and reduce downtime.
- Rolled out improved training programs for maintenance employees.
- Monitored equipment, tools and system upgrades to compile data into detailed reports for upper management.
INTERN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
SHIZEN ENERGY INC
Fukuoka, Japan, Sierra Leone, Japan
03.2020 - 08.2020
- Assessment, design and construction of renewable energy power plants such as Solar, Wind, Hydro with the use of software tools like HelioScope, Global Solar Atlas, SolarGis, Odyssey energy tool, PVSyst, Sunny, SMA design, etc.
- Established construction, manufacturing and installation requirements.
- Enhanced project efficiency by completing computer simulations of solar photovoltaic generation system performance and energy productions.
- Reviewed design layouts to verify viability and resolve compatibility conflicts with existing energy infrastructure.
- Designed customized photovoltaic (PV) systems to customer specifications by incorporating desired metrics and associated technical considerations.
INTERN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
GPSS HOLDINGS CO., LTD
Tokyo, Japan, Japan
09.2019 - 09.2019
- Renewable Energy power plant installation and operation including wind turbines, solar and geothermal plants
- Identified techniques to emphasize and optimize energy management in new and existing solar power system designs.
- Applied acquired knowledge of solar technology and thermodynamics to use in design of cutting-edge solar energy projects for commercial businesses.
INTERN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
TAKAOKA TOKO, CO., LTD
Tokyo, Japan, Japan
09.2018 - 09.2018
- The manufacturing process of power and distribution transformers
- He manufacturing process of High and Medium-voltage Electrical Switchgears
- Safety and protection practices in Manufacturing processes
- Swapped out materials and finishes in product line to alleviate performance issues in the manufacturing process
SENIOR NETWORK OPERATIONS ENGINEER
ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPLY AUTHORITY
Freetown, Sierra Leone, Western Area
01.2016 - 08.2017
- Ensure operational security of the system
- Prepare operational reports for management attention on a daily basis
- Generate network status report
- Ensure maximum possible service availability and performance
- Identified and categorized equipment issues, responding to calls-for service to maintain NOC effectiveness.
- Coordinated installation, testing and implementation of network operation equipment, physical facilities and infrastructure.
- Authored, scheduled and maintained network activities and NOPs to reach optimum operations levels.
- Coordinated and documented preventive, proactive and corrective maintenance requirements.
- Applied deployment best practices and proper security protocols in network management.
- Diagnosed network problems,power and communications issues.
- Analyzed and produced recommendations on continuous network improvements.
- Planned implementation of network enhancements and upgrades.
MAINTENANCE ENGINEER
ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPLY AUTHORITY
Freetown, Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone
01.2015 - 01.2016
- Prepare Maintenance plans for Overhead power lines and Underground Cables within the Distribution network
- Developed process improvements to increase reliability and system performance.
- Scheduled and undertook periodic maintenance on all electrical installations, components, and equipment.
- Arrange preventive maintenance of equipments, Overhead lines and underground distribution lines
- Organized and directed maintenance shutdowns and startups.
- Reviewed technical documentation to complete equipment maintenance and repair.
- Provide technical lead for equipment selection, testing, installation, maintenance, repair and failure investigation.
- Diagnosed and resolved distribution network faults
- Dismantled defective machines and equipment and installed new or repaired parts.
- Performed troubleshooting and repair for complex electrical equipment.
- Actualized strategic plans and managed equipment, lifecycles and processes.
- Coordinate investigations for power system interruption and propose suitable technical solutions
UNDERGROUND CABLES MAINTENANCE ENGINEER
NATIONAL POWER AUTHORITY
Freetown, Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone
11.2012 - 12.2014
- Prepare work schedule for technicians
- Administer work and supervise technicians on a daily basis
- Prepare maintenance schedules and ensure the stability of the system at all times
- Maintain up to date information on technicians at all times
- Ensure compliance with company standards
- Provide Electrical system Analysis and support for proposed Expansion
- Lead root cause failure investigations for electrical equipment-related accidents
- Provide support to Operational and Maintenance staff in troubleshooting, inspecting, repairs, changes and modifications to electrical systems
PUPIL ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
NATIONAL POWER AUTHORITY
Freetown, Sierra Leone, Western Area
11.2011 - 10.2012
- Job training in the following sub-disciplines:
- Underground Cables Maintenance (Fault location and diagnosis, installation and maintenance of all voltage levels from low to high)
- Overhead Lines Construction and Maintenance (Construction, repairs and operation of overhead, testing and preventive Maintenance)
- Substation Maintenance (Design of new substations, Carryout routine, preventive and breakdown maintenance on transformers, switch gears and circuit breakers, etc
- And provide technical support)
- Ower Generation (daily operation and maintenance of generator engines and generate reports)
- Commercial and Revenue Collection (Revenue mobilization for large power users (MDI's) through workable strategies and customer service)
- Technical Audit (Tackle all the illegalities including ineffective disconnection, illegal meter installation and illegal re-connections, and energy recovery)
Teaching Professional
SIERRA LEONE GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Freetown, Sierra Leone, Western Area
10.2009 - 05.2011
- Graded and evaluated student assignments, papers and course work.
- Communicated frequently with parents, students and faculty to provide feedback and discuss instructional strategies.
- Encouraged creative thinking and motivated students by addressing individual strengths and weaknesses based on standardized testing results.
- Incorporated multiple types of teaching strategies into classroom.
- Supervised learning groups of students in classroom stations.
- Supported student teachers by mentoring on classroom management, lesson planning and activity organization.
- Worked cooperatively with other teachers, administrators and parents to help students reach learning objectives.
- Instructed students in core educational principles, concepts and in-depth subject matter.
- Evaluated and revised lesson plans and course content to achieve student-centered learning.
- Completed daily reports, and attendance logs.
- Incorporated exciting and engaging activities to achieve student participation and hands-on learning.
Education
CERTIFICATE IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT - PROJECT MANAGEMENT
04.2020 - 05.2022
Risk Analysis, Project Planning, Planning, Management, Project Management
1. To initiate, define and organize a project
2. To develop a project plan, including scoping, sequencing tasks, and determining a critical path
3. To assess, prioritize and manage project risk
4. To execute projects and use the earned value approach for monitoring and controlling progress
MASTER oF ENGINEERING (M.ENG) - ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
08.2017 - 03.2020
- Relevant Coursework Completed:
1. Power System Analysis and Engineering
2. Power System Optimization
3. Renewable Energy Technologies
4. Mathematical Modelling
5. Intelligent Systems
6. Advanced Modern Control Engineering
7. Electric Machinery
8. Electronic Systems
9. Technical writing and research methods
10. Advanced Signal Processing Systems
CERTIFICATE oF PROFICIENCY - PUBLIC PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT
05.2015 - 05.2015
- Public Procurement Processes and Management
BACHELOR oF ENGINEERING (B.ENG) - ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
10.2005 - 12.2009
- Relevant Coursework Completed:
1. Power Engineering
2. Digital Systems
3. Signal Analysis
High School Diploma -
09.1998 - 07.2005
Relevant Coursework Completed: Science and Engineering
Skills
Electrical Engineering
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Projects
Microsoft Visio
AutoCad
Renewable Energy
Power Systems Engineering
Project Management
Leadership
Power System Design and Optimization
Renewable Energy Plant design
Accomplishments
- Promoted to a Management staff
- Increased performance of the network operations team during critical periods to successfully meet end-of-year KPIs
- Support effective document review for projects
- Entrusted to work and uphold protocol within Management
- Interacted with diverse customers on a constant basis to improve electricity supply
- Managed daily operations of the network and maintain stability
- Developed working templates for supervision and tracking staff abilities
- Developed templates for network data collection
- Facilitated the expansion of operational stations in the distribution networks
- Selected to assume key leadership roles
- Enhanced coordination between operations and Maintenance staff
- Earned a postgraduate Scholarship in 2017 to acquire additional knowledge
- Best Paper Presentation Award - IEEE SCOReD 2019, Universiti Technologi D' Petronas, Malaysia
Affiliations
- Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers (SLIE Membership No.890] - 01/06/2012 – To Date
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (Student Member - Membership Number: 94805863) - 01/04/2018 – 14/03/2020
- The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan (IEEJ) (Student Member - Membership Number: 94805863) - 01/04/2018 – 24/03/2020
Software
Homer
ETAP
AutoCad
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Project
Microsoft Visio
MATLAB
Sunny Island
HelioScope
Odyssey Energy Tool
Certification
POWER DISTRIBUTION GRID
Interests
Technical Investigations
Reading journals
Detective Movies
Engineering Documentaries
Publications
- Challenges and prospects of Nigeria's sustainable energy transition with lessons from other countries'
experiences (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352484719308832 – 2020
In this paper, the importance of an equitable right to sustainable energy adoption in Nigeria and other countries in
Africa towards meeting the United Nations SDG's deadline has been succinctly discussed. Contributed to this manuscript
as a Co-Author.) - Optimal Capacitor and Distributed Generation Sizing and Placement in Freetown-Sierra Leone Distribution
Network (March 2020) (Master's Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of Master's in Electrical and Electronics Engineering) - Flexible Demand Resources Scheduling for Renewable Energy–Based Smart Microgrid Planning (https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/11/10/219 – 2019 - This paper investigates the technical and economic prospects of scheduling flexible demand resources (FDRs) in optimal
configuration planning of VRE-based microgrids. The proposed demand-side management (DSM) strategy considers
short-term power generation forecast to efficiently schedule the FDRs ahead of time in order to minimize the gap
between generation and load demand. My contribution to this paper was as a Co-Author) - Technical and Economic performance evaluation for efficient capacitors sizing and placement in a real distribution Network (October 2019)
(https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/8890748/proceeding – 2019; Conference Paper published in IEEE Xplore Scopus) - Pupilage Training Report (November, 2012) - Training report for confirmation as Electrical Engineer at the National Power Authority
- Design and Development of a Fees Management Database System: Case Study: Fourah Bay College (September 2009) (Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of Bachelors Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering)
Conferences and Seminars
- IEEE SCOReD 2019, Universiti Technologi D' Petronas, Malaysia (15/10/2019 – 17/10/2019 – Malaysia)
- 2018 IEEJ Kyushu Branch Okinawa Conference (08/12/2018 – 08/12/2018 – Okinawa Japan)
Leadership Roles
- 01/01/2021 – CURRENT
Country Manager - Sierra Leone (KAKEHASHI AFRICA) - https://www.kakehashiafrica.com/
- 01/09/2018 – 30/05/2019
Regional Coordinator Okinawa Region - KAKEHASHI Japan Chapter - https://www.kakehashiafrica.com/
- 01/01/2017 – 31/07/2017
Acting President - Senior Staff Association - Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA)Senior Staff Association of the Distribution Power Utility Company
- 01/01/2015 – 31/12/2016
Secretary-General - Senior Staff Association - Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA)Senior Staff Association of the Distribution Power Utility Company
- 01/07/2013 – 31/12/2014
Assistant Secretary-General, Senior Staff Association - National Power Authority (NPA)Senior Staff Association of the National Power Utility Company before the Unbundling process
- 01/09/2008 – 31/08/2009
Senior Student Adviser-1, Engineering Society - Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone
Engineering Student Union Society at the Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone
Additional Information
1. ING. MILTON GEGBAI
Director General
Electricity Generation and Transmission Company
Battery Street, Kingtom
Freetown.
Mobile: +232 76959117
2. ING. FRANCIS NYAMA
Deputy Director General
Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority
Freetown.
Mobile: +232 76601958
3. MR. A.J. LASITE
Former Principal
Sierra Leone Grammar School [S.L.G.S]
Murray Town
Freetown
Mobile: +232 76659930
Timeline
NETWORK MANAGEMENT MANAGER - ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPLY AUTHORITY
07.2021 - Current
Installation of PV Solar Systems and Software Program
07-2021
Professional Engineers Practicing Certificate
01-2021
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE MANAGER - ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPLY AUTHORITY
11.2020 - 06.2021
University of Virginia, Darden Graduate School of Business Online - CERTIFICATE IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT, PROJECT MANAGEMENT
04.2020 - 05.2022
INTERN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER - SHIZEN ENERGY INC
03.2020 - 08.2020
INTERN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER - GPSS HOLDINGS CO., LTD
09.2019 - 09.2019
INTERN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER - TAKAOKA TOKO, CO., LTD
09.2018 - 09.2018
University of The Ryukyus - MASTER oF ENGINEERING (M.ENG), ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
08.2017 - 03.2020
POWER DISTRIBUTION GRID
06-2016
ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARD POLICY
03-2016
SENIOR NETWORK OPERATIONS ENGINEER - ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPLY AUTHORITY
01.2016 - 08.2017
Institute of Public Administration And Management - CERTIFICATE oF PROFICIENCY , PUBLIC PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT
05.2015 - 05.2015
MAINTENANCE ENGINEER - ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPLY AUTHORITY
01.2015 - 01.2016
BASIC PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT
10-2014
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN UNDERGROUND CABLE WORKS (STEP - 3)
11-2013
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING ON OVERHEAD DISTRIBUTION LINE
11-2013
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN THEORY AND MEASUREMENT OF TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION NETWORK
10-2013
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN UNDERGROUND CABLE WORKS (STEP - 2)
04-2013
UNDERGROUND CABLES MAINTENANCE ENGINEER - NATIONAL POWER AUTHORITY
11.2012 - 12.2014
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN UNDERGROUND CABLE WORKS (STEP - 1)
11-2012
PUPIL ELECTRICAL ENGINEER - NATIONAL POWER AUTHORITY
11.2011 - 10.2012
Teaching Professional - SIERRA LEONE GRAMMAR SCHOOL
10.2009 - 05.2011
Fourah Bay College - BACHELOR oF ENGINEERING (B.ENG), ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
10.2005 - 12.2009
Sierra Leone Grammar School - High School Diploma,
09.1998 - 07.2005