ESIG NAMES JAMES OKULLO DIRECTOR OF SYSTEM PLANNING
Reston, Va. – The Energy Systems Integration Group (ESIG), the leading source of global expertise for energy systems integration and operations, announced today that James Okullo has been named Director of System Planning. He joins ESIG with more than a decade of experience in the power industry.
Prior to joining ESIG, Okullo was Manager, Strategic Assessments at the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). In this role, his areas of focus included forward-looking resource adequacy and accreditation of capacity resources, evaluation of system reliability attributes under an evolving resource mix, emerging generation and transmission technologies, and support of other MISO priorities, such as the Long-Range Transmission Planning.
“We have collaborated with James for a number of years and are excited to have him join the ESIG team,” said Debbie Lew, ESIG’s Associate Director. “His experience, energy and enthusiasm toward the power systems industry will be a great asset to not only our team, but also our members, ESIG projects and task forces and the industry as a whole.”
Okullo has been a longtime contributor and active participant in ESIG. In his role as ESIG’s Director of System Planning, he will provide leadership and support to several ESIG working groups and task forces, including the System Planning Working Group and the System Operations & Market Design Working Group. His technical areas of focus will include power system planning, power system reliability, power system operation, market design and operation, and DERs.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the ESIG organization as it continues to serve as the industry’s go-to source for expertise on energy systems integration and operations,” added Okullo. “It will be a privilege to assist in leading the timely and critical work being undertaken by ESIG working groups and task forces. I’m committed to helping ESIG and its membership as we help to move the global energy transition forward.”
For more information on ESIG, visit www.esig.energy.
About Energy Systems Integration Group
ESIG began in 1989 as the Utility Wind Interest Group, an organization created to educate utilities about wind power. Within ten years, it developed into a significant technical educational organization and convener of peer-to-peer workshops to assist utilities, system operators, project developers and equipment manufacturers from around the world with the integration of wind power, and then by 2011, also with the integration of solar power. With renewables becoming the mainstream sources of new generation and reliability services, the organization expanded its mission, branding and international participation in 2018 through a merger with the International Institute of Energy Systems Integration (IIESI) to become the Energy Systems Integration Group (ESIG), taking on not just the planning and operations of electricity systems and power markets, but also the growing issues for other energy vectors, including the electrification of transportation, buildings and industry for decarbonizing the entire energy supply.
ESIG now serves as a resource for a broad cross-section of the global energy industry, including utilities, ISOs, independent power producers, project developers, manufacturers, forecasters, consultants, educational institutions, and government agencies, including regulatory bodies.
