2019 Stanford Energy Internships in California and the West: California Department of Water Resources
State- and city-level efforts are essential in our fight against climate change, especially in the field of energy. Stanford University is committed to helping by integrating its best students into the local energy and climate ecosystem through Stanford Energy Internships in California and the West (SEICW), an energy-related summer internship program. This position is funded; you will be one of two Stanford students placed at DWR.
The program runs from Monday, June 24, 2019 to Friday, August 30, 2019.
Organization/Agency mission or role in state government:
The State Water Project (SWP) is one of the largest water and power systems in the world. It conveys, on average, 2.4 million acre-feet of water annually to 29 long-term water contractors through 20 pumping plants, 8 hydroelectric power plants (includes 3 pumping-generating plants), 25 dams, 34 reservoirs, and more than 700 miles of aqueducts and pipelines. This infrastructure includes the world’s highest earth filled dam (Oroville Dam) and the largest single lift pumps (close to 2000 feet) to move water over the Tehachapi Mountains into southern California. In 2001, the SWP was named as a Civil Engineering Monument of the Millennium by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
The State Water Project Power and Risk Office (PARO) is responsible for strategizing and procuring long term power and transmission resources for the project. The objective is to have a process in place to plan the SWP portfolio of energy resources to ensure reliable, efficient, and cost effective delivery of water to State Water Contractors. To be able to accomplish these goals there is a need to closely follow energy market drivers that may result in change of energy market design, energy price profiles, renewables development costs, reliability obligations and mandates. There are some key drivers in the power market the SWP need to track, analyze, and adjust its operations strategies to mitigate future impacts on SWP power portfolio.
Potential Project:
The Power and Risk Office is continuously performing power planning studies to assess changes to operational strategies that would be needed to respond to power market change in price trends and opportunities. These studies include assessing the viability of retrofits and capital improvements needed to add flexibility to the system to better position the State Water Project for future markets.
Mentors:
- Ghassan ALQaser, Ph.D., Chief, Power and Risk Office
- George Baldini, Branch Chief, Water and Energy Efficiency
- Basic knowledge of power engineering and economics
- Basic knowledge of the CAISO energy market
- Basic knowledge of California energy and climate policies and Integrated Resource Planning (IRP)
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Quick and eager learner
- Preferred: Modeling, analytical skills using quantitative analysis and computer software, etc.
- All SEICW students must be enrolled in the spring quarter before their SEICW internship. Absolutely no exceptions are made to this rule.
- All SEICW students must take a one-unit workshop spring course, 'Energy Policy in California and the West' taught by Bruce Cain, Sally Benson, and Isaac Sevier that will provide an in-depth analysis of the role of California state agencies, the Western Interstate Energy Board, and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council in driving energy policy development, technology innovation, and market structures. Course number is CEE 263G / POLISCI 73 / PUBLPOL 73. This course must be taken in person.
Please note that this opportunity is for graduate students. Interested undergraduates can apply via SIG.
