Transmission & interconnection strategy
Site and POI screening, grid-capacity assessment, project sizing, and regional process strategy across CAISO/WECC, MISO, PJM, ERCOT, and regulated utility systems.
Fred Raddatz, PE
Transmission Planning & Interconnection Leader
Licensed Professional Engineer with 17+ years across electric utilities and renewable-energy development, including 14+ years in transmission planning and generation interconnection. I connect detailed power-system analysis with grid strategy, process fluency, and decision-ready recommendations.
17+Years in electric power
14+Years in transmission & interconnection
PELicensed Professional Engineer, Illinois
Both sidesUtility and developer perspectives
Professional overview
Engineering depth. Decision clarity.
I work at the point where power-system analysis becomes a project decision.
My experience spans utility-side transmission reinforcement and generation interconnection, as well as developer-side interconnection, siting, diligence, and grid strategy for utility-scale solar, standalone battery storage, and hybrid resources.
I independently define ambiguous technical problems, determine the analysis and engagement required, test the assumptions that matter, and translate study, upgrade, agreement, schedule, and commercial implications into clear options and recommendations.
Regional experience
CAISO/WECC · MISO · PJM · ERCOT · Regulated utility systems
Areas of expertise
Integrated technical and strategic judgment
Focused on the questions that determine whether an infrastructure opportunity is viable, how it should advance, and what risks must be managed.
Power-system studies & validation
Steady-state, contingency, deliverability, transfer-limit, charging, and related analyses with independent review of models, assumptions, results, and upgrade drivers.
Deliverability, constraints & upgrades
Technical and commercial evaluation of transmission constraints, network-upgrade exposure, cost allocation, schedule, and long-range system changes.
Interconnection lifecycle leadership
Applications, studies, modifications, agreements, securities, milestones, restudies, and cross-functional coordination through critical project decisions.
Diligence & executive decision support
Interconnection-focused M&A diligence, transaction support, project prioritization, and clear recommendations grounded in technical, schedule, and commercial risk.
Methodology, QA & mentoring
In-house study capability, repeatable methods, engineering controls, work-product review, mentoring, and carefully governed AI-assisted workflows.
Career experience
From detailed engineering to principal-level leadership
A career built across both sides of interconnection, with a foundation in utility planning and a current focus on developer-side grid strategy and technical decision support.
Hanwha Renewables / Qcells USA Corp.
Hanwha Group
Principal Planning Engineer, Development2024 - Present
Senior Interconnection Planning EngineerApr 2022 - 2024
Lead transmission planning, interconnection, and grid-capacity strategy for utility-scale solar, standalone BESS, and hybrid resources. Guide site and POI selection, project sizing, study scope, interconnection approach, and proceed, modify, or withdraw recommendations.
- Scope and independently validate studies across interconnection, deliverability, affected-system, charging, short-circuit, and stability frameworks.
- Lead technical coordination through applications, modifications, agreements, securities, milestones, restudies, amendments, and diligence.
- Align development, legal, finance, commercial, utility, consultant, and executive stakeholders while mentoring engineers and strengthening methods and QA.
San Diego Gas & Electric
Senior Engineer, Transmission Planning - Generation Interconnection
Analyzed generation interconnection requests and produced reliability-study reports under CAISO, FERC, NERC, and SDG&E requirements. Coordinated with CAISO, customers, consultants, and internal teams on new requests, modifications, Rule 21, and wholesale distribution studies.
Applied and reviewed power-flow, contingency, short-circuit, voltage, and stability work, while developing reusable automation that improved case preparation, analysis, and reporting.
ComEd
An Exelon Company
Senior Engineer, Transmission Planning - Reinforcement PlanningJan 2012 - Jan 2017
Distribution Design EngineerJan 2009 - Jan 2012
Progressed from distribution design into transmission reinforcement planning. Developed and supported more than 40 transmission projects under FERC, NERC, PJM, and ComEd requirements, addressing capacity, reliability, generation changes, and large-customer load additions.
Evaluated system needs and alternatives, prepared technical justifications, and presented recommendations to vice president approval committees.
Selected professional impact
Technical work shaped around consequential decisions
Public-safe examples of how engineering analysis, process judgment, and cross-functional leadership have supported infrastructure and investment choices.
Portfolio direction
Compared site, POI, capacity, queue, dispatch, and project-sizing alternatives to support prioritization and proceed, modify, or withdraw decisions.
Interconnection risk
Translated study results, upgrades, cost allocation, schedules, agreements, and regulatory dependencies into decision-ready project recommendations.
Transmission reinforcement
Developed and supported more than 40 ComEd transmission reinforcement projects, including alternatives, technical justifications, and recommendations for executive authorization.
Internal capability
Helped establish in-house study methods, QA controls, documentation, repeatable workflows, and mentoring that strengthened engineering quality and consistency.
Cross-functional support spanning development, legal, finance, commercial, M&A, consultants, utilities, transmission providers, and executive teams.
How I work
A disciplined path from question to recommendation
The goal is not more analysis. It is the right analysis, with clear assumptions, meaningful alternatives, and engineering judgment retained throughout.
- 01
Define the decision
Start with the action the analysis must inform, not with an assumed study task.
- 02
Establish the basis
Set defensible assumptions, source traceability, study scope, and validation controls.
- 03
Compare alternatives
Test scenarios and sensitivities so the recommendation is not anchored to one isolated result.
- 04
Translate the risk
Connect technical findings to cost, schedule, deliverability, agreements, and project viability.
- 05
Recommend action
Present clear options, tradeoffs, and a defensible path forward for the decision-makers involved.
Professional leadership & credentials
Technical foundation. Industry engagement.
- Licensure
- Professional Engineer, Illinois
- Education
- B.S. Electrical Engineering, power systems focus
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2008 - IEEE leadership
- Former Vice Chairperson and Chairperson
IEEE Power & Energy Society, San Diego Chapter - Conference speaking
- Navigating the Challenges of Renewable Energy Interconnection Queues
EUCI, 2024
Connect
Continue the conversation.
I welcome professional conversations about transmission planning, generation interconnection, grid strategy, utility infrastructure, and technical leadership.